Take Back the Night
by Kysic
Summary: No matter what teenage Vincent does, his life won't stop falling apart. His father is hardly home, his uncle abuses him, and doesn't know who to trust in the world he knows so little about. Will Vincent find love one day or is he doomed to suffer forever?
1. Elimination

**9-26-09: Since no one seems to bother checking my profile for my fanfics' progress, I decided to announce it here. I've decided to quit this fanfic for many reasons. For more details, just read the note on my profile. I guess readers can still leave reviews whether it's praise or harsh critism, but I doubt I'll ever bother repairing much because I pretty much gave up on it. Basically, I've matured and moved on this fanfic. Sorry to any readers that followed it. I just hope this fanfic helps other fellow writers learn how NOT to write.**

**If you're looking for a decently written fanfic, please hit the back button. You can try one of my more current ones or someone else's.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Vincent (I really wish I did) or Grimoire. **

**A/N: For people that already read this chapter, it's been repaired. Enjoy!**

"Father, may I play tag with Victoria and the others?" six-year-old Vincent asked politely.

"Alright, but stay inside" Grimoire (Vincent's dad) replied. "It's dark out, and we're about to have dinner."

Vincent grinned, and ran off the room with his cousin. Grimoire sighed and smiled. It was a lovely night. The weather was warm, the full moon glimmered with beauty, the entire Valentine family was together, and everyone was having the time of their lives. Grimoire adjusted his tie and his posture. He also admired the room.

It was a huge room with Renaissance paintings on the ceiling, the architecture was filled with beauty, and the floor was filled with gorgeous tiles that looked completely new because of the light that reflected off them and their lack of scratches.

This family reunion was going quite well. Grimoire gazed across the great room. Men, including himself, were dressed up in nice, fancy dress suits, women were wearing flowing dresses, and boys and girls wore something similar, except their clothes got a bit messy or were a little less formal.

"If only Lacarra was here," Grimoire thought sorrowfully about his wife. "She would have enjoyed this party."

Grimoire looked around the room to check on Vincent. He was playing tag with a few of his cousins. Grimoire headed out to the balcony to get some fresh air. The great sphere of the night, the moon, looked gorgeous and radiant. The sphere's light shone upon the garden. All the plants, fountains, statues, and other garden objects had the image of beauty in the night as well. Grimoire wished this night could go on forever.

"Vincent will inherit the family's business when he grows up to be a fine, young adult." Grimoire rested the palm of his hand on the balcony's railing. "The boy won't be alone, though. His cousins will be there." Now Grimoire was trying to assure himself. "Don't be so paranoid, Grimoire."

He stared straight ahead; a pleasant view for him. He began to get lost in the garden and the sky's beauty. He kept admiring the night. He kept wishing it was like this everyday, but little did he know of the surprises that were hiding around the corner.

BAM!

This sound made Grimoire jump. It sounded like the sound of a gunshot.

BAM!

The sound came again.

"VINCENT!" Grimoire hollered as he rushed back inside.

Once he pushed the balcony's doors open, he saw that everyone had already picked up in a run. He quickly made his way through the sea of screams, agony, and terror.

"Sorry. Excuse me." Grimoire started having enough of everyone's shoving. He had to find his son. "MOVE!" Grimoire started pushing people aside. The smell of blood made him dash through the crowd faster. After all the shoving, he finally found his son cowering behind a column. He picked up Vincent, and began to run. Grimoire started to join in with the running crowd.

"Father! What's going on!?" Vincent's voice was shaky.

"No time, my son! We have to go!" Just as the sentence escaped his mouth, another gunshot was heard. A woman right next to him collapsed. She had been shot! Grimoire looked over his shoulder and saw masked, armored soldiers chasing everyone with guns. They were heading in his and Vincent's direction. He finally managed to escape from the room.

The man began to head down the hall, which now seemed endless. He struggled to keep a hold on Vincent. Even though he was already halfway down the hall, the screams of his loved ones and gunshots could still be heard.

He made a turn down another hall. The sound of his footsteps echoed throughout the halls. The halls were almost completely silent. Dead silent. The entire building turned quickly from a castle of heaven into a tower of hell in mere minutes.

He spotted a double wooden door at the right side of the hall. He managed to balance his son in one arm, and pulled one of the doors open with the other. Right when the doors were pulled open, he wasted no time: he ran inside, and quickly set his son down.

His eyes darted around the room. They were in the library. He was trying to find something to hold the doors shut. He pulled off one of the shelves that was filled with books. The wood split apart, and books landed on the carpet. Grimoire slid a shelf through the handles. He started to pull the towers of shelves towards the door. Pain shot through his muscles as he kept pulling, but he didn't care. He was too busy worrying about those men finding them.

"Father, what are ya doin'? What's going on?" His son was confused. He was also scared, but he was only a young child. He didn't know much better, so his confusion kept him from sharing the same amount of fear as his dad.

Grimoire didn't answer. He was still too busy blocking the door. After he had finished blocking the door, he grabbed his son's hand and dragged him towards a corner. As he headed towards the corner, he flicked off the light switch above them. Nothing, but a few lit candles that were just for decoration, brightened the room. Grimoire kept a hold on his son's hand as he got on his knees.

"Father?"

"Hush." Grimoire whispered calmly, as he motioned for him to be silent. He pulled on Vincent's arm to get him to also get on his knees.

"I saw them run in here!" A harsh, gruff voice could be heard outside the doors.

"Are you sure?" Another voice could be heard.

"Positive. It's just a man and a kid. We can take them out easy."

"Fine, but we better hurry. The cops are probably on their way."

The men started bashing the doors open. They had trouble breaking in because of the piles of books and shelves Grimoire had already placed in front of the door. The shelf that was placed in the handles began to split in half. Objects in front of the door began to slide away from the door as the men kept banging on the door. Vincent began to sob and cry on his dad's chest.

"Vincent, you must have faith." Grimoire closed his eyes and began to pray.

This didn't convince Vincent. He kept crying. He wished he were anywhere but here. He kept hearing yells outside the door. The soldiers now started shooting at the solid wood door. Gunshots started to pierce the door. Vincent clung on to Grimoire. Grimoire held his son close. Grimoire could feel death waiting for him. Vincent could almost felt the same thing, but it wasn't death exactly. He was too young to understand death. He just felt great fear. More and more holes were pierced through the door.

"Halt!" commanded another voice outside the door. It was the voice of another man.

One of the men cursed loudly. Vincent and Grimoire heard the sounds of blasting guns and footsteps pounding the ground, like someone was running away. Next thing they knew, the doors were forced open. This made both Vincent and Grimoire jump. To their relief, it was only one of Midgar's soldiers. He aimed the gun in case there were more enemies in the room. He lowered his weapon once he spotted only Vincent and Grimoire in the room. This immediately brought relief to Vincent and Grimoire. The two other men must have fled when they saw the soldier. More soldiers stood near the door.

"We got a couple survivors!" the soldier announced in a walky-talky. "There's a man, probably in his early or mid-twenties, and a boy about five to seven years old."

"Survivors!? Couple!?" Grimoire didn't think he heard correctly. This thought made his stomach turn. He couldn't believe it. He didn't want to believe it.

"Excellent!" someone on the walky-talky exclaimed. "Get them out of there now! Check for more survivors!"

"On it sir." The Midgar soldier switched off the walky-talky, and looked at the two. "Elmer will lead you outside. Are you injured? If you are, are you still able to walk?"

"We're fine. What about the rest of the family?" Grimoire was awaiting the news that may affect him and Vincent for the rest of their lives.

"I'm sorry. They... Elmer, lead them out. NOW!"

"Wait! Please tell me if my family is safe." He couldn't take this. He had to know now.

"You'll be informed once you reach safety outside, but not now! They'll be back soon and you two will just get in the way." The soldier motioned for one of the soldiers to step forward.

A soldier just about his size walked out of the group.

"Elmer, lead them out!"

Elmer nodded. Grimoire picked up Vincent and followed him. Elmer kept his gun pointed ahead as he walked. Four more soldiers followed to guard the father and the son. The soldier that had found them headed in the opposite direction, along with some other soldiers. Two soldiers helped Elmer guard the front while the three other soldiers guarded the back.

This walk felt like hours. The once gorgeous building was nothing but ruins. It was dark. No lights were on except the light coming from the soldiers' flashlights that were attached to the end of their guns. The group passed through many halls, corridors, and rooms. Chills went down Grimoire's spine as he saw the corpses of his family. This nearly brought tears in his eyes, but he shaped up so he wouldn't worry Vincent.

"Why are they laying on the floor, Father?" Vincent whispered. He clung on to his father's chest.

"It's called death," Grimoire replied.

"Quiet!" one of the soldiers whispered a sharp command. "Do you want the enemy to spot us?"

Grimoire put his finger to his lips and shushed Vincent. Vincent obeyed and didn't say a word. The entire building was completely silent except for the sound of their own footsteps. Grimoire hated the silence. It reminded him of a graveyard.

Finally, they reached the front door. Red and blue lights from ambulances, fire trucks, and police cars flashed upon them. They nearly blinded Grimoire and Vincent. More soldiers rushed into the building with guns, as Grimoire kept carrying Vincent and walked down the steps. The soldiers that had helped them get outside rushed back into the house. News reporters and cameramen dashed in their direction. They began to crowd around them. Grimoire pushed his way through everyone with Vincent still in his arms.

One hour later, Grimoire was still outside the mansion, talking to a cop. He thanked the officer and walked towards Vincent, who was sitting under a cherry blossom tree.

"I want Grandma and Grandpa!" Vincent cried.

Grimoire sighed and bent over him. Once their eyes connected, he was ready to tell Vincent the bad news. "You can't talk to them now." Grimoire was close to crying himself.

"Then I want to talk to Aunt Lucy!" Tears ran down Vincent's cheeks.

Grimoire shook his head. "You can't talk to her either."

"Why not!?" Vincent sobbed.

"They're gone, Vincent. They died."

"Died?" Vincent didn't understand. "Tell them to come back!"

"It doesn't work that way. You will understand when you're older."

It's been almost nine years since that tragic event took place.

He lay on his back on his bed. His eyes faced the ceiling. This memory often haunted him. The only ones in the entire family who survived were himself, his father, his father's older brother, Jonathon, and his older sister Veronica. Unfortunately Jonathon's wife and son weren't so fortunate. Neither was Veronica's husband. They were shot before they made it to the basement. It turned out the two siblings hid in the basement during the elimination, so they were safe. No man, woman, or even child was spared.

He still remembered the corpses of his family on the floor and the smell of blood. He could never forget that smell. Vincent snapped out of his memories and stared out the window next to him. It was morning. He sighed and dreaded what awaited him next. He rolled on his left side and pointed his stare towards the door. He was hoping his father was there, but he had to take care of some of the family's businesses and his lab. The man had to balance these careers in his schedule.

"How long has he been gone?" Vincent wondered. "Almost a month? Two, maybe?"

Grimoire was often gone for many weeks or even months. Even when he was home, he didn't stay for too long. Normally he'd be gone within a day or two. It had been years since he was even home for his birthday. He left presents. He left gift cards, but none of this meant anything to Vincent. He just wanted his dad there. He would even give up all his presents just to have him stay for the day. Vincent hoped his father would be home for his birthday this year.

Vincent glanced at his calendar. It read August 18. School was starting for most teens, but for Vincent, it meant school continued. He was home schooled. He had school almost everyday, even on weekends. To top it off, he also has other classes that he thought were completely useless. Vincent lifted himself off his bed, and changed out of his pajamas. Once he finished getting dressed, he started to gaze at his reflection in his bedroom mirror.

"_You're pathetic!" _a voice in head insulted.

Vincent ignored the voice. He sat at the end of his huge bed and got out a notebook from his dresser. He reached for his pencil off his dresser and started writing.

Lessons I Take Everyday (besides home schooling)

1: Violin lessons

2: Piano lessons

3: Painting lessons

4: Cooking classes

5...

Vincent didn't finish writing 5.

"What's the point?" Vincent thought. "I have like thirty different teachers, and it will take forever to write them."

Vincent turned to a new page. And started to write:

Reasons Why My Life Sucks

1: Father is hardly ever home.

2: I don't have a mom.

3: I put up with tutors 24/7.

4: I don't have any friends.

5: My aunt and uncle slap me if I mess up.

6: My aunt and uncle expect me to be perfect because "I'm a Valentine."

7: My aunt and uncle insult me on a dalily basis.

8: I have to inherit all my family's businesses when I'm adult or the rest of my family die out, so I don't have much of a choice on my life in the future.

9: I have to stay hidden in the mansion. I have hardly been outside the mansion since I was 6.

10: I have to wear these stupid dress clothes

Vincent stopped writing and sighed. He turned to another clean page, even though he could have gone on with the previous list.

Reasons Why I Hate Being Rich

1: Normally a rich teen or kid doesn't see their parent/parents hardly at all because rich parents usually work for ages, since most rich people usually own a bunch of businesses.

2: I can't go to a public or even a private school like everyone else.

3: Other rich adults, teens, and kids are often snobs. They're pretty much the only acquaintances I can have in this screwed up life. I don't want to hang out with snobs!

4: Rich kids (at least I) have to take a bunch of useless classes.

5: Being rich can be dangerous because if the entire city knew who you were, crazy psychos might try to kidnap you for ransom to make your parent/parents cough up the dough!

6: It's hard to feel normal, especially when you can't be around other teenagers often.

Vincent was going to keep adding on to his list, but the voice in his head wouldn't shut up.

"_Get a real hobby. How about you make yourself more useful?"_

"Shut up! You know I'll have my classes soon, and I don't have time for anything else."

"_You're such a sissy! Piano lessons, violin lessons, SEWING! I feel sorry for you! Hey miss, can you sew me a new table cloth? Pathetic!"_

"I said shut up! Stop being retarded. It's not like I chose to have these classes. I can handle it."

_"Suuurrrre. If you can stand it, then why are you feeling so sorry for yourself and making these lists?" _The voice in his head kept mocking him.

"Because I can!"

_"You're having a conversation with a voice in your head. Man, you must be really lonely. I hope you're not goin' crazy! You might find yourself wearing a straight jacket real soon. Give me your padded room number later, and I'll drop by for a visit every now and then. Send me a post card."_

"WHY YOU..."

"VINCENT! GET DOWN HERE!" Aunt Veronica's voice interrupted the argument. Her voice filled Vincent with dread. Her voice didn't own one percent of kindness towards him.

Vincent rolled his eyes. That meant it was time for stupid classes. Vincent placed his notebook and pencil back on the dresser and headed out the door. As he walked, he stuffed his hands in his pockets, and starting having thoughts.

"What does he know?" Vincent thought. "I'm not going crazy. Am I?"


	2. Abusive Classes

**Disclaimer: I don't own Vincent Valentine.**

**Author's Note: No flames. I'm still new at this, so give me a break. Vincent is not in alternate universe, in case you think that. This fanfic is suppose to take place in Vincent's past. I don't know much about cooking, violin playing, or fancy dancing, or some other stuff in this fanfic, so sorry if I made an error with something. **

Vincent kept his eyes on his own feet as he headed to the music room. He was ready for the teachers, failure, embarrassment, his teachers' yelling, and even the beatings. He slipped his glasses out of his pocket as he climbed down the stairs, even though he hated wearing his glasses. Except for all the servants and teachers, the mansion was empty. He missed many things: his dad; his hometown, Kalm; and his freedom. There wasn't much left of his home back in Kalm. Some soldiers from Midgar managed to chase away the soldiers, but the mysterious soldiers destroyed most of the mansion by the time the Midgar soldiers arrived.

"You're one minute late!" Aunt Veronica yelled just as he entered the room.

"Sorry, ma'am," Vincent tried to apologize.

"No excuses! You're such a waste of time! You're lucky I didn't run up to your room, and dragged you out myself."

Vincent slowly sat down in a chair with a pedestal in front of it. He reached for his violin and began to rest it on his chin.

"You reject! Grab the violin as you walk past it! Don't reach for it! You're so sloppy! Do you want to ruin your arm?" Aunt Veronica's voice boomed like thunder.

Vincent patiently waited for his violin teacher, Mr. Barkin, to come through the door. A few minutes later, the frail, old man finally came. He stood in front of Vincent, and adjusted his glasses.

"Shall we begin?" Mr. Barkin seemed in a really good mood compared to his mood on most days.

Vincent nodded and glanced at Veronica, who was sitting on a chair across the room with her arms crossed. Her glare was directed at Vincent.

"I'll be watching," Veronica reminded him.

Vincent sighed and directed his eyes to the paper with music notes. He started to grind the bow on the strings. He followed all the notes on the paper carefully.

Vincent was halfway through the song when Veronica started yelling. "No, no, no! Is that the best you can do?" Veronica jumped to her feet and walked up to Vincent so fast that she actually startled him. "A primate could play better than you. I should have brought ear plugs! If my other nephew were still alive, he would have played ten times better than you ever could! Gimme that!" Veronica swiped the violin and the bow right out of Vincent hands. "YOU ARE USELESS! I don't see the point of these violin lessons. You will never get it right! Mr. Barkin, you can leave early now. You'll still get paid full amount."

"I'm sorry Vincent hasn't improved that much. Most of my students usually learn quickly." Mr. Barkin grabbed the papers off the pedestal and stuffed them into his suitcase.

"No need to apologize. It's not your fault that your student is nothing but a useless swine."

As soon as Mr. Barkin left, Veronica slapped Vincent across the face. Vincent landed on the floor sideways. His glasses almost fell off his face. Vincent rubbed his cheek and looked up at Veronica.

"You're humiliating the entire family! Because of you, he probably thinks we're all a bunch of slobs. I oughta beat some sense into you!"

Vincent quickly flinched as she said the last sentence. He kept his arm out to defend himself, and his eyes shut. He stayed in this position on the floor for a moment. He slowly opened his eyes and was surprised to see Veronica leaving instead of hitting him.

He slowly pulled himself up and ran to the kitchen to prepare for his next class, Cooking.

Vincent tied the white apron on himself. He washed his hands and waited for the nightmare to continue. Mr. Latero, his cooking teacher, paced in front of the stove.

"What we're making today is samen. Can you handle that?" Mr. Latero grinned a sly smile.

Vincent hated that smile. It meant that Mr. Latero would do whatever he could to catch him messing up. He got out the spices, utensils, pans, and everything else he thought he might use. Mr. Latero gave Vincent the commands. Vincent followed the instructions carefully, and watched Mr. Latero through the corner of his eye. The man's eyes were like a vulture's, which made Vincent a bit insecure.

"I'm not gonna let him show me up. Not this time!" Vincent thought as he stirred the samen a bit. He took his eye off of Mr. Latero, and glued his eyes on the samen.

Several moments later, Mr. Latero snatched the pepper shaker out of Vincent's hand when he was sprinkling the spice on the fish.

"Idiot! Like this!" Mr. Latero tipped the salt shaker over the samen. Once he was finished, he handed Vincent another shaker with a spice in it.

Vincent studied it in his hand. It was the color of blood. He knew what the spice was, but he forgot the name. He glanced at Mr. Latero, who had his arms crossed on his chest like his aunt was doing early.

"I'm waiting." The chef kept mocking Vincent.

Vincent cautiously poured the spice on the samen. It wasn't long before Mr. Latero slapped Vincent across the face. Vincent quickly felt his hand along the spot where his teacher had slapped him.

"NO!" Mr. Latero shouted. "Honestly, I'm wasting my breath over you! Now tell me. What did you do wrong?"

Vincent thought for a moment. The thought finally occurred to him. "This spice doesn't belong on this type of food!" Vincent realized. The thought hit him like a rock. "He handed me this-this...whatever it is, to mess me up." Vincent glared at Mr. Latero. "He wanted me to screw up, and I fell right into his trap!"

Vincent's glare continued to beam at Mr. Latero. Vincent wished looks could kill because Mr. Latero would be dead within seconds if they could.

"Vincent, why don't you pay attention to your studies? You know I taught you not to put paprika on fish last week. Is the kitchen heat frying your brain?" Mr. Latero taunted him. He chuckled to himself.

His comment stirred anger in Vincent. He was sick of all the years of his verbal abuse.

"YOU $#$$# SON OF A $$!!!" Vincent yelled without thinking.

Mr. Latero was quiet for a few seconds before he asked Vincent, "What did you call me?"

"I-I didn't mean..."

Before Vincent could finish Mr. Latero pulled him close by the collar of his shirt. He put his face up to Vincent.

"You're nothing but a spoiled brat. Do you know what I do to spoiled brats?" Mr. Latero asked in a calm tone with a bit of anger in it.

Vincent wasn't given the chance to answer because by the time he opened his mouth, Mr. Latero was dragging him by the back of his collar, and out the glass kitchen door, leading to the garden. Vincent didn't know what he was going to do to him this time. Once he saw that Mr. Latero was heading for the garden's fountain, he began to panic. He struggled, but it was a meaningless endeavor.

"Quit squirming." Mr. Latero commanded.

Mr. Latero stood in front of the fountain for a few seconds. He still had his grip on Vincent. Vincent kept squirming. Mr. Latero quickly dunked Vincent head first into the fountain. He held Vincent's head down. Vincent tried to hold his breath as long as he could. He could feel the breath he had left slowly drain out of him. The water's pressure eventually caused him to run out of air. Water soon filled his mouth and started pouring through his lungs. Luckily, Mr. Latero hoisted Vincent's head out of the water before too much water got through. Vincent immediately gasped for air. The taste of fresh air had never brought him this much joy. Mr. Latero just laughed at Vincent's expense.

"Reject, if you hate the water so much then keep your head out of the fountain," Mr. Latero mocked coldly. "Shouldn't you be heading to your next class?"

Vincent searched with his hand through the water to retrieve his glasses, which had fallen in the water. He squeezed the water out of his hair before he walked back to the mansion. He threw a short glare at Mr. Latero just before he entered through the door.

Vincent didn't know what he should do next. "Should I change and dry my hair, or should I head straight to my next class?" Vincent soon glimpsed the clock. "I better head to my next class. All my light will be gone if I'm late." He quickly trod down the hall.

"YOU'RE LATE AGAIN!" Aunt Veronica's yell struck Vincent and caused him to jump. He hadn't even been in the room for more than a few seconds before she snapped at him. "Take a seat!" Veronica pointed to a chair.

Vincent looked down at his feet as he took a seat.

"You slob! Why are you wet!? Get changed!"

Vincent slowly climbed out of the chair and started walking.

"Hurry up!"

Veronica's command made Vincent break out into a run.

Once Vincent got dressed (again!), he headed back to the study.

"I hate advanced math!" Vincent whined under his breath. "When am I gonna use any of this!"

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After a LONG list of classes, Vincent finally made it to his last class, waltzing lessons. This class was one of the classes he hated the most. If he had his notebook, he would be listing why.

Some of the reasons were:

1: This class was for girls and sissies (according to Vincent).

2: He struggled with this class.

3: Worst of all, his Aunt Veronica and Uncle Jonathon are his teachers.

Vincent feared Uncle Jonathon. He was worse than his aunt. Vincent entered the dance room, and was prepared for the worst (at least he thought he was).

"So, the slacker finally showed up." Uncle Jonathon expression was really cold.

Vincent frowned and stood in front of his aunt and uncle. Veronica pulled him towards her to get ready to start class.

"We would have hired some girls for you to practice with, but we would have had to offer a LOT of cash to get a girl to dance with something as ugly as you!" Veronica's insult stabbed though Vincent like a knife. "It wouldn't have been worth the cost."

Jonathon motioned for the orchestra to start playing. Veronica quickly reached for a stack of books off a table, and set them atop Vincent's head.

"Don't let those fall." Veronica started to dance with Vincent.

Vincent followed Veronica quite well. He followed her steps like her reflection on a mirror. Everything was fine until the stack of books was about to fall off of Vincent's head. He managed to catch them just before they completely slid off his head.

"NO! NO! NO!" Jonathon's face turned red.

His yell caused the orchestra, Veronica, and Vincent to freeze to a stop.

Veronica released Vincent, grabbed the stack of book off Vincent's head, and walked towards Jonathon. "Let's show him the proper way to do it." Veronica placed the stack of books on her head. She grabbed Jonathon, and they started to dance.

Vincent watched them. He admitted that they danced a lot better than him. They spun gracefully. The stack of books remained perfectly on Veronica's head. Things were going perfectly, until Veronica tripped on the hem of her dress and tumbled directly onto Jonathon. Laughter started to build up in Vincent from watching the scene. He managed to hold it in for the moment.

"Sorry," Veronica apologized to Jonathon.

Finally, Vincent couldn't hold it in any more. The laughter exploded out of him. He laughed a big laugh. The two siblings glared at Vincent as they got themselves up. Veronica ran towards him and slapped him across the face.

"It's not polite to laugh at others!" Veronica's voice was full of anger. She slapped him again before Vincent could recover from the last blow. "And laugh right! You sound like a dying hyena."

Vincent pressed his hand on his cheek. Jonathon was now standing in front of him. He had his arms crossed.

"You need to learn discipline." Jonathon started walking away with Veronica following closely behind.

Anger bubbled inside of Vincent. He could only take so much.

"I'M GONNA CALL COPS FOR CHILD ABUSE!" This was supposed to stay in his thoughts, but it somehow found it's way into his mouth.

Jonathon and Veronica stopped in their tracks.

"Please leave the room. I need to have a little talk with this brat," Jonathon said looking straight ahead.

Veronica and the orchestra obeyed. They were gone in a split second. Most of the orchestra members didn't even bother to take their instruments with them. Jonathon slowly turned his head in Vincent's direction. Vincent got ready to run, but Jonathon ran at him and seized him by the arm before he even took two steps. Vincent wished he could take back what he had said.

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"That'll teach you some manners. Call the cops if you want! They won't believe you. All it will do is give you more beatings to come. You don't get dinner tonight, by the way." Jonathon left Vincent injured on the floor.

Vincent couldn't remember exactly what happened. It happened so fast, most of it went black. All he remembered was his uncle throwing him against the corner of the room, and his uncle unleashing his fists and kicking furiously on him. He kept his eyes closed, so he didn't know what he exactly did. Vincent pulled himself up, and started to make his way towards the hall and to his room. He wobbled and walked like a drunk who had just left the bar. He could barely walk, let alone stand, but he somehow managed to make it to his room. He let the bed break his fall. Pain shot through many parts on his body.

_"Your day went well," the voice in his head said in a sarcastic tone._

"Shut up," Vincent managed to moan. He rolled on his back and stared at the ceiling. He looked at his clock, which indicated 12:36 pm. This was the time Vincent normally went to bed. He had to get up at five o' clock to get ready for his classes, which were at 6:00 sharp. "I don't need dinner. All that will happen is that I'll have my Aunt Veronica and Uncle Jonathon watching to see if I eat properly. They're like hound dogs! I can barely enjoy a simple meal."

Vincent pulled himself up. He gripped the edge of his nearby nightstand to support him up.

"What damage do I have today," Vincent questioned himself in thought.

He limped to his bathroom, which was connected to his bedroom. He closed the door behind him, and removed his shirt and glasses, then stared at the badly beaten figure that was supposed to be his reflection. "Is that me?" He looked dreadful.

He had a black eye, a split lip, a little bit of blood ran down one of his nostrils, bruises and cuts covered his body, and his face was a bit red from being slapped so much. He was a mess! Vincent sighed and striped off his clothes as he headed to the shower. He turned the knob. He slowly stepped in, and closed the curtain behind him. The water made him feel more pain at first, but after a while the water relieved his pain a bit. It felt like the water was washing away his pain and sorrow. The water dripped off his face and hair, and fell into the drainer. The water was almost like his remedy. Once he felt relieved enough, he twisted the water knobs. The water stopped running, but the steam still filled the bathroom. He grabbed a towel off a rack as he stepped out of the shower. He wrapped the towel around his waist, and checked himself in the mirror one more time.

"That's better," Vincent grinned slightly as he combed his hair.

He walked out the door with the towel still wrapped around him. Vincent popped open one of his dresser drawers. He pulled out his pajama pants and shirt. He started to slip into the pajamas. Vincent only had his pajama pants on when his phone rang. He immediately rushed to the phone.

"Strange, who could be calling at this hour?" Vincent wondered as he seized the phone. "Hello?"

"Hi, sorry I haven't been calling lately. How are you doin'?"

Vincent was silent for a few moments. "Hi, Father. It's been a while."

**Please review if you like it. I love reviews but hate flames. If it's criticism, I don't mind as long as you go a bit easy on me.**


	3. First Victory

**Author's Note: No flames! Since two flashback are very close together, I decided to put Vincent age when the flashback takes place to help reduce confusion.**

"How was your day," Grimoire asked.

"Great!" Vincent knew he was lying, but he didn't want to get his dad started.

"What did you do today?"

Vincent didn't want to talk about it, so he decided to change the subject. "Will you be around for my birthday this year?"

"We'll see."

Vincent hated it when he said that. It was sort of an adult's way of saying never. At least to him it was. Vincent frowned at this thought.

"Are you still there?" Grimoire asked, concerned.

"Oh, yes. Uhh, Father, may I ask you something?"

"What is it?"

"I-I..." Vincent kept stuttering. It felt like the words balled up in his throat.

"Well?"

"Can I... go to... boarding school?"

There was a long silence before Grimoire asked, "Why on earth would you want to go to boarding school?" Grimoire's voice was filled with humor, like Vincent's question had been a joke.

Pain filled Vincent's heart. He was almost glad his dad wasn't talking to him face to face, because Grimoire would have noticed his mildly teary expression.

"Can I at least go to a public school? Private school?"

Grimoire paused for a moment. "Maybe, but do you have a reason?"

_"Just tell him the truth!" the voice in his head shouted._

"What am I supposed to tell him!?" Vincent yelled at the voice through thought. "He won't believe me. I tried to tell him when I was six years old. I even tried again when I was eleven."

Vincent remembered those days.

Flashback Vincent's age: 6

"Uncle Jonathon and Aunt Veronica hurt me!" Vincent cried.

Grimoire closed the suitcase. He directed his eyes onto Vincent.

"Vincent, it's wrong to lie." Grimoire voice was harsh.

"I'm not lying!"

"Uncle Jonathon already told me they spanked you for some naughty deeds."

"They punched me."

Grimoire lifted his suitcase off his bed and started heading out the door. "This lie won't get me to stay longer. I know you miss me very much, but I've got many jobs to do. Do you know how hard it is to do some work on family business, and work as a scientist at the same time."

Vincent didn't say another word. He gave up. Grimoire sharply turned towards Vincent.

"Almost forgot." Grimoire walked up to Vincent. He embraced Vincent and kissed him on the forehead. "Goodbye."

Grimoire released Vincent and again started out the door. Grimoire's footsteps could be heard from the bedroom. By the sound of footsteps pounding on creaky wood, Vincent could tell he was walking down the stairs. Tears started running down Vincent's face. He let the tears roll down to his mouth, and dripped off his chin. The tears started to pour on the floor. Vincent began to bawl. His sobs were never answered. No one heard. No one listened.

End of flashback

This memory gave Vincent some grief. It quickly brought back another sorrowful memory.

Flashback Vincent's age: 11

"I'm serious!" Vincent stood up from his chair. He let the chair almost tumble behind him.

"NOT ANOTHER WORD!" Grimoire looked over his shoulder and saw other customers staring in their direction. They were at the ice cream shop. Grimoire had returned home only two hours ago. He had decided to take Vincent out for ice cream, but it seemed to almost be a waste of money because Vincent started to let the frozen dairy product melt to a liquid.

"Why won't you believe me!?" Vincent kept glaring at his dad.

"Sit down now! You're making a scene!" Anger and annoyance filled Grimoire. Like his son, he also let his ice cream start to melt.

Vincent rashly sat down on his chair, and pulled it harshly forward. He crossed his arms and threw his leg over his other. Anger covered his face.

"They beat me. It's child abuse, right?" Vincent's eyes faced Grimoire like it was a test.

"I don't EVER want to hear it. Do you understand?" Grimoire raised his voice, but kept it low enough to prevent other people from hearing it.

Vincent looked away from Grimoire. Grimoire returned to his ice cream, but Vincent, however, left his ice cream to melt. He started to gaze at his ice cream. He wished he were the ice cream. He wanted to melt to the ground, and no longer feel pain.

Ever since that day, Vincent never mentioned the beatings to his dad.

End of Flashback

"Vincent! Vincent! Hello?" Grimoire's voice still could be heard on the phone's other line.

Vincent shook his head to return back to the present.

"Sorry, I spaced out." Vincent didn't know how long he had been travelling through flashbacks.

"Phew, I was worried something had happened to you. I have to go. I need to do more research on Omega. Bye."

"See ya." Vincent hung up the phone. He left his hand placed on the phone like they were glued together. Vincent lifted his hand, and picked his shirt off the floor. He slipped it on, and switched off his light. The only light in his room was the moon and stars through the window. He crawled to bed, slowly because he still felt pain from the fight earlier. He covered himself with his blanket and rested his head on his feathered pillow. He stared at the ceiling, hands behind his head.

"I hate my life," Vincent muttered. He listened to the crickets outside, and his own breath for a brief minute. "What did I do to deserve this?" A tear formed in Vincent's eye. It dripped down his face. He wiped it off before it reached near his lips. He mourned over the loss of his happy childhood. He missed being innocent and free. That was all taken away from him because a bunch of thugs killed almost all of his family. "It's not fair!" Vincent thought. "Why should I suffer from something someone else did? I hate my aunt and uncle, I hate those soldiers, I hate my life, I hate everything!"

Sorrow pulled at him. It kept him from falling asleep for a while.

"I sometimes want to... kill myself," Vincent thought as he later drifted to sleep.

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Vincent was awakened by his phone. At first, he just moaned and turned his back towards it, but after a while, the ringing drove him to reach for the phone.

"Hello?" Vincent sounded half asleep.

"Sorry, did I wake you up?" Grimoire asked.

Vincent rubbed one of his eyes. "It's fine. I was about to get up anyway." Vincent glanced at the clock hanging on his wall. It read 6:38 am. He had overslept! "Father! I got to..."

"You don't have to go to any of the classes yet," Grimoire cut him off.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"I decided to let you go... to private school."

"Private school?" Vincent thought for a moment. He remembered the suggestion, but he had only made it because he wanted to cover up the real reason he wanted to go to a real school. He made the suggestion to lower his dad's suspicion. He really wanted to go to boarding school, to get away from his cruel aunt and uncle. He at least wanted to go to public school. He just wanted to be normal.

"Vincent, ya still there?"

"You serious?" Vincent's voice was calm. Not disappointed, not joyful, just a plain tone.

"Yeah, you start class tomorrow. Did I make it start too soon?"

"No, tomorrow is fine, but what about violin lessons and all the other classes?" Vincent couldn't believe he was asking this. The words felt like poison coming out of his mouth. The name of the classes was enough to drive him mad.

"I might have to cancel some classes. You're a smart kid. You don't need some of those classes anymore, right?"

Grimoire didn't know Vincent took so many classes. He knew Vincent took some lessons like cooking, but little did he know about the all classes his brother and sister pushed on Vincent. Vincent couldn't figure out how he would fit private school in the schedule if he had a bunch of classes his dad didn't even know about.

"Does Aunt Veronica or Uncle Jonathon know about this?"

"Yes, I already talked to them a hour ago. Johnny was pretty mad when I woke him. Good o' Jonathon!"

There was one problem with what Grimoire had said. Jonathon wasn't good.

"Great!" Vincent thought. "Now the maniacs (Jonathon and Veronica) will be extra steamed today."

"Where are Veronica and Jonathon? They would have woken me up already."

They would have done more than just wake him. They would have dragged him across the floor, or punch him a wake up call.

"They're already at the school, signing you up. It might be a while, so you pretty much have most of the day off."

This immediately brought great pleasure to Vincent. His first day off in ages!

"When do you think they'll be back?" Vincent brushed one of his bangs out of one of his eyes.

"I don't know for sure. They also have to run some errands in town, so they might be gone for a while. What?" There seemed to be someone else talking to Grimoire. "I got to go. My student is getting impatient with me." Grimoire paused to hear what the other scientist was saying. Vincent could tell by the soft, sweet voice, that whoever was talking to his father was a female. Grimoire chuckled for a moment. "Sorry, I'm cutting the call short. She's eager to prove her thesis true."

Vincent sighed. He was secretly a little upset about the call being so short. "It's fine. Just finish work."

"I'm glad you understand. I'll try to call whenever I get the chance. Bye."

"Bye." Vincent hung up the phone. He glanced at the clock again. It read 6:41. He smiled, then he picked his notebook and pencil off his dresser.

Things to Do Today

1: Sleep in

2: Watch tv

3: Listen to the radio for an hour or two

4: Pig out on food

5: Skateboard in the garden

Vincent kept recording all the activities he wanted to do.

"First thing on the list, sleep." Vincent crawled back into bed and fell asleep.

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Vincent's day was going pretty well. He got to do everything on his list without a single interruption, except for watching tv, which he saved for last. He would have snuck off into the city instead, but he didn't know when his aunt and uncle would be back, and he didn't want to take the chance of getting beaten. After all, he was starting school the next day, and he wanted to look his best. Vincent sat on the couch and rested his feet on the glass coffee table, which was in front of the couch. He reached for the remote off the wooden table next to him. He stared at the remote in his hand. It felt weird sitting in front of the tv. It had been ages since he held a remote. He crossed his legs and put his right thumb and index finger on his chin as he thought for a moment.

"What did my aunt say about tv again," Vincent tried to remember. "That it rotted your brain? It made you insane?" Vincent shook his head to snap out of his thoughts. "Uh, who cares!" Vincent lifted the remote towards the tv, and pressed the power button. The tv clicked on. It showed a cartoon Vincent hadn't seen in ages.

Vincent watched a bunch of anime cartoons he hadn't seen in ages. Sadly, some of his favorite shows went on series finale already, but he still enjoyed the episodes he hadn't gotten to see in who knows how long. He had been watching tv for four hours. The moon and the stars had already appeared in the sky, and it had gone dark out. It was probably either 7 or maybe 9 o' clock at night. Vincent was in the middle of watching a guy jump off a burning building when a familiar hand struck him across the face, knocking him to the floor. Vincent didn't rub his cheek like he would usually do. Instead, he immediately looked up, and saw his aunt, who was lowering her hand, and his uncle, who was standing beside her. They looked steamed!

"DO YOU REALIZE WHAT YOU'VE DONE!?" Veronica yelled as if Vincent had committed murder. "Now we're gonna be WAY behind schedule!"

"You just had to cry to your father, didn't you?" Jonathon crossed his arms on his chest. "Oh, how I wish I could beat you!"

Vincent remained silent.

"You're lucky you going to school tomorrow," Jonathon continued. "Otherwise, I would turn you into a bloody pulp, but we can't have the teachers see your injuries, and suspect anything, now can we? This doesn't mean I'm won't beat some sense into you." Just like that, Jonathon walked away.

Veronica shot Vincent a quick glare before following Jonathon. Vincent sat there on the floor for a few moments. He eventually got up. For the first time in years, Vincent felt he had gained a victory.


	4. Secret Idenity

Vincent dashed down the stairs like a fleeing gazelle. He sharply made a turn, then grabbed a green apple off a basket filled with fruit, while sprinting through the kitchen. He headed out the front door, to find the limo already waiting near the mansion's stoop. Vincent walked down the stairs, and headed towards the limo. The driver opened the door for Vincent. Vincent smiled when he saw this. The driver was one of the few people he knew who liked him.

"G'day, Mr. Valentine." The driver greeted him. "Ready to go?"

Vincent adjusted his red backpack hanging on his back, and placed his glasses that were in his pocket on his face. "I've already told you can just call me Vincent, Lenny." Vincent humorously reminded as he climbed into the limo. "You didn't have to open the door for me either," Vincent politely assured. He took a bite out of the apple. The sour taste filled Vincent mouth as he chomped down and swallowed. It had been ages since he had had breakfast. The only meal he normally got was dinner because his aunt said, "Valentines are slim and healthy not overweighted pigs. Besides, spoiled brats don't deserve extra meals."

"No, no! It's my pleasure serving you, Mr.Val-I mean Vincent." The driver managed to make a recovery. He closed the limo door, and then headed to the driver's seat. As he slid sideways in the seat, he turned the key, and turned on the air conditioner. It was hot out, but Vincent still thought it was a perfect day to start school. The driver closed his door, and started to drive. He drove down the long, perfectly paved driveway until he stopped in front of the gold colored iron gate, which was the entrance. The driver patiently waited for the security guard to open the gate. He pulled out of the gate and made a right turn. He carefully steered the limo.

Vincent gazed out the window, and watched objects pass by him and fade off into the horizon behind him. He saw many things: shops, gigantic skyscrapers, people, other vehicles, and more. He thought he would never get to see his present home. It was like he just moved here. This city, Tech City, was interesting. A thought suddenly occurred to Vincent. He got up from his seat in the back, and headed toward the seat in the front, which was right in front of the small window that separated him from Lenny. He sat in his chair, facing his back towards Lenny. He looked over his shoulder as he gently tapped the window behind him with his fist. Lenny pressed a button, causing the window to be lowered behind him.

"Vincent, you really shouldn't walk across the limo like that. It's dangerous. You could have just pressed the service button," Lenny reminded.

Vincent felt like a bit of an idiot when Lenny said this. "If Veronica was here, she would be calling me stupid or retarded or saying 'you useless swine,'" Vincent thought.

The service button was a red button that was near the seat in the back. It makes a beeping sound, and lets Lenny know the passenger wants something. Lenny would either lower the window behind him or turn on the speaker to ask what the passenger needed.

"Sorry, I forgot. It has been awhile since I've been out," Vincent apologized. "Can you do me a favor, Len?"

"What do you need?" Lenny kept his eyes on the road as he asked.

"Can you drop me off a few blocks from school?" Vincent requested.

"Why would you want me to do that?" Lenny asked, confused. "You'll just end up walking the rest of the way, and who knows what kind of danger this city is full of. No, I can't let you do that. What if "you know who" finds you? You'll be in serious danger."

Vincent slowly shook his head and smiled. Sure he was a bit annoyed about his driver being over protective, but he felt some warmth in his heart, knowing someone other than his dad cared about him. "If anyone sees me come out the limo, they'll know I'm rich. I don't want anyone at my school to know I'm rich. I just want to be like everyone else. It'll be hard for me to make REAL friends. I don't want to hang out with people who only like me for the money my family has. We're already early to school, so I have plenty of time to walk there."

"How early we are is the least of my concerns! What if those men from nine years ago..."

"Stop worrying. That was years ago! They probably don't know there were survivors. I bet they even forgot about us."

"They KNOW there are survivors!" Lenny raised his voice. "They know that one of the survivors is a fourteen year old..."

"Fifteen!" Vincent interrupted. "My birthday is only in a couple of months."

"It doesn't matter! They know enough. It took me ages for me to convince your father that you didn't need bodyguards. I assured him I would have things under control. I knew the bodyguards would make it hard for you to enjoy school, so I figured they were unreasonable. After all, they got enough security in schools these days, right? If something happened to you, not only would I get fired, but I would never be able to live with myself."

"Lenny, pleeeease!" Vincent begged. "I waited my whole life for a chance like this." Vincent turned around, sitting on the seat, facing forward. "I've been a prisoner for so long. I felt so alone. If everyone knows I'm rich, I'll be alone once again in a way. They would only like what I have, and what I have only. The so-called "friendship" would be nothing, but an illusion. Please, do me this favor."

Lenny tried not to, but he looked at Vincent's pleading eyes through his inside mirror. This broke Lenny's shell of resistance. He sighed.

"Where do you want me to drop you off?"

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The limo pulled up at the side of a parked bus in a parking lot, hiding the limo. Vincent stepped out and his eyes darted around him to be sure no one was watching. He started to take off when Lenny yelled, "WAIT!"

Vincent paused after he only took a few steps. He quickly turned around, and directed his eyes on Lenny, who had his window down.

"Let me warn you about something," Lenny's eyes were full of concern.

"You don't need to worry. I know how to cross the street," Vincent assured.

"No, not that. There's something important you must know."

"I'm listening."

Lenny motioned for Vincent to come closer. Vincent obeyed and put his head through the open window to hear Lenny whisper something. Lenny glimpsed around their surroundings to be sure no one was watching.

"When you go to your school, don't tell them your real last name. You probably shouldn't even use your real first name." Lenny whispered.

Vincent blinked and was silent for a moment. He just didn't understand. "Why shouldn't I use my real name?"

"You father may have not told you this, but everyone in the city heard rumours of your family living in the mansion uphill. The government kept your family's identity a secret. They hid you guys away after the soldiers killed almost all of your family. Your family is more rich and powerful than your father lets on. The government even would greatly fear the Valentines if they decided to support any criminals or another country. The family is almost completely above the law. The government has great support from your family. In fact, this country has so much more power than all the other countries, because of some of your family's support. That's how powerful your family truly is. You will soon be our only hope for a better future. All the family's businesses will be yours and only yours. You're Grimoire's only son, and Veronica and Jonathon don't have any children, so you'll be in charge of all the businesses. You will be left with the honor of having the power to assist people. Don't tell anyone at school who your father is! Avoid a conversation about him if necessary. Understand?"

Vincent's head was spinning. So much was put into his head all at once. He finally relaxed his head and said, "Yes. How much do the city's citizens know about my family?"

"All they know is that they're the most rich and most powerful family alive. Maybe that's why those soldiers killed the Valentines. They probably feared them. I don't know if that's the real reason. The information is supposed to be classified. Nobody knows their real last name, so people just call them the V family. I think the government gave them that name to protect their identity. Shoot! We've been yapping too much! I'm sorry I took so much of your time. I better drive out of here before someone sees us. Remember what I said." Lenny rolled his window back up and drove away.

Vincent watched the car until it disappeared into the crowd of automobiles. Vincent looked at his watch. He had plenty of time to get to school. More than enough, really. Vincent decided to run to school instead of walking like he had planned. Something about what Lenny had said made him have a queasy feeling.

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Vincent panted and stopped to catch his breath. Luckily, his school uniform was a bit loose, so he wouldn't be too sweaty. He suddenly noticed something in a grocery store window next to him. He peered at the window, to figure out what he was seeing. He finally was able to recognize the figure. It was an elderly man. He seemed to be in his sixties or seventies. Vincent admitted that he looked pretty healthy for a man his age. The elderly man was struggling to get a huge box to the back of the store. He kept carrying the box, but looked like he was going to fall forward any second. This immediately brought Vincent barging into the shop, and running towards the man. Just as Vincent reached him, he was about to drop the box and cause it to crash to the floor, but Vincent caught it just in time.

"Need help, sir?" Vincent asked as he lifted the box. It was a lot lighter than Vincent thought it would be.

"Yes, thank you, young man." The elderly man pointed to a closed door close by. "I need to transport the box in there. Would you mind to..."

"No problem." Vincent walked to the door, careful not to drop the box.

The elderly man held the door open for Vincent.

"Thank you," Vincent said as he entered the room.

"No, I should be thanking you." The elderly man followed Vincent inside, and let the door shut behind him.

The room was filled with labeled boxes.

"This must be where some of the store's food and stuff go." Vincent thought. "Where do you want me to put it?" Vincent asked.

"Over there." The elderly man pointed to a pile of well-stacked boxes.

Vincent gently placed the box on top of another box that was the exact same size. He spotted a label on one of the boxes. He squinted his eyes to figure out what it was saying, but the letters were so badly faded, it was almost impossible to read.

"Maybe I would be able to read it better if I didn't need to wear these stupid glasses," Vincent muttered to himself.

"Thanks for your help."

The man startled Vincent. He didn't even notice the man approach him. "No problem at all. What's in this?"

"I don't know for sure, to be honest, and I'm supposed to own the store." The elderly man chuckled. "Here, let me reward you." The elderly man motioned for Vincent to follow him. He headed to the door.

"Wait, you don't need to..." The elderly man had already left the room before Vincent could finish. Vincent exited the room, and found the elderly man tending to the counter. Vincent headed towards the front door. He had only opened the door a crack when the elderly man yelled, "Wait!" Vincent released the door handle and went over to the counter. "I haven't awarded you yet."

"I can't accept it." Vincent said as he got in front of the counter. "I don't need anything. Besides, good deeds should be done for free, not for profit."

"I insist."

"No, that's okay."

"It's okay. We're ahead of this month's salary goal. Take anything in the shop you want."

"I don't want to take anything."

"But..."

"I honestly don't need anything."

"Are you sure?"

Vincent nodded. There was a short silence.

"You're a kind hearted boy. It's a shame we don't have many young men like you around here."

"I'm sure there are a lot of boys like me. Maybe even better."

The old man chuckled. "I haven't seen you around here before. Are you new around here?"

"I guess you can say that."

"Let me introduce myself. I'm Mr. Larty, owner of the store. You can just call me Jacob. What's your name?"

"My name is..." Vincent suddenly remembered school. "Oh crud! I'm gonna be late!"

"Late? Oh, school. I'm extremely sorry for wasting your time."

Vincent started to run to the door.

"Don't leave yet! I haven't gotten your name yet."

Vincent paused in the middle of the store. "I-I'll tell you later." He went back to running.

"Will you stop by today?"

"I will, promise," Vincent called before running out the door.

Mr. Larty smirked and shook his head. "The problem with kids today is that they're always in a rush."

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Vincent was relieved when he saw the school only two to three minutes later. He kept running until he got inside the school's entrance. He once again stopped to catch his breath. He checked his watch and was relieved to find that he was five minutes early. He looked around to study the students. The boys were dressed in the same exact uniform: baby blue slacks that covered the top part of their shoes, with a regular blue blazer, and a tie, the same exact color as the slacks. The only part of the outfit that wasn't the same as Vincent's was their shoes. About half the boys had on some dress shoes that were a type of blue color, while the other half wore sneakers that didn't even match the outfit at all. Girls, on the other hand, were wearing a light blue pleated skirt, and a white, short-sleeved dress shirt with a big blue ribbon tied in a fancy way over their chest.

Vincent thought their school uniforms looked exactly like what you would see in anime school shows. He suddenly noticed everyone staring at him. The light of attention shone upon him. This gave Vincent an uneasy feeling. It felt like he was on the stage, doing a play he had rehearsed for days, but all the lines he had memorized seemed to have left his head suddenly, causing him to stand there like an idiot. He stood there, not moving. The students started to whisper to each other, and glanced in Vincent's direction from time to time. Vincent didn't want to look like an idiot, so he forced himself to head down the hall, and look for the principal's office. He made a turn halfway to the end of the hall, and quickly found a room that looked like an office door. He read the small, silver plated sign with some bold letters on it.

It read: "Principal's Office."

"This must be it," Vincent said to himself. He was still used to talking to himself. He yanked the door open, and quickly entered. He let the heavy door behind him slide shut.

The room didn't look like a principal's office to Vincent. It looked more like a filing room. The wall was regular green with some white stripes on it. The carpet was fuzzy, and a tan color. A row of chairs was lined along the wall from both sides of the door behind him. There was a curved desk with a computer, and a bunch of other stuff you would see in an office room. Coffee aroma filled the room. Vincent walked up to the curved counter. A lady, probably in her thirties was fiddling with the computer. She didn't seem to notice Vincent at first. Vincent was curious about what she was doing on the computer, so Vincent slowly started to lean sideways to see what was on the computer screen, but the woman's eyes directed to him before he could take a glimpse.

"May I help you?" she didn't sound too polite, but she didn't sound too rude either. She just sounded annoyed because Vincent was leaning over her desk.

Vincent stood straight up. "Sorry 'bout that. Are you the principal?"

"No, hon. I'm the secretary."

"Oh...uh..." Vincent spotted a door next to her. He went over to the door, and got ready to turn the knob.

"No, no, no." the secretary stood from her seat. She pointed to a chair. "Wait here. The principal's busy right now. You have to wait."

"I have a appointment with him."

"I see. Are you the new student?"

"Yeah, I'm kinda in a hurry. I'm probably late for class now!"

"Hold your horses. It's not like the world's coming to an end. The principal will excuse you. Just take a seat."

Vincent sighed and took a seat near the door he came through. Two minutes had passed when the secretary announced, "Okay, you can now see him."

"Finally!" Vincent was quick to his feet, and was in the office within seconds. He sat down in the chair in front of the desk. The room was pretty dark. Shadows covered most of the room. Vincent couldn't see that much. All he could see were objects in the darkness, which were the shape of a desk, and the dark figure of a man sitting at the desk. A bit of light glimmered through the shades on the window behind the figure, but it hardly lit the room at all.

"This is like a retarded black and white mob movie I saw once," Vincent thought.

Most people would have feared the man or the creepy darkness, but Vincent had honestly seen scarier so he wasn't afraid. Try seeing Uncle Jonathon drunk as heck, and taking the severe beatings, then you've truly seen scary.

"Umm, can there be a little more light? I'm surprised I was able to find this chair," Vincent focused his eyes on the principal more. He tried to see through the darkness that covered the principal, but it was pointless to try.

Vincent heard the click of a switch. The lamp on the desk brightly lit the room. The great brightness startled his eyes, and the light gave his eyes a mild pain from being so bright. Vincent actually had to shield his eyes with his arm. After a few moments, his eyes started to settle enough for him to lower his arm. He studied the principal. He was a man with combed back, silver hair, a tan suit that reminded Vincent of the mob show he had seen once, and a silver mustache, and beard. Vincent strained himself from laughing.

"What's he wearing?" Vincent thought. "This really is like a mob show!" Vincent managed to prevent himself from laughing, but he still humorously thought his outfit looked like a mob show.

_"He needs to stop living in the past. That went out of style fifty years ago," the voice remarked._

"That's one thing we can agree on," Vincent said through thought.

"I see we have a new student." The principal finally said something.

This sort of startled Vincent. He was so busy with his thoughts, he was caught a bit off guard. "You...have a nice school." Vincent was just buttering him up a bit. He just wanted to make a good impression in front of the principal.

"Thank you. We have only started school a week ago, so you haven't missed much. It's been a while since we had a new student."

"That kinda explains everyone's staring," Vincent muttered.

"Huh?"

"Nothing! It's nothing."

"Okay, then. Right now, all I need is your name."

"My name?"

"Yes, your father accidentally forgot to fill out your name," the principal was looking at the paper that Grimoire had filled out. "So, what's your first and last name?"

"Vin..." Vincent suddenly remembered what Lenny had said. He paused for a minute. He tried to come up with a name.

"Your name is Vin? Odd, I never heard of such a name."

"No, it's... it's Vince."

"Vince? Alright, now what's your last name?"

"Vince Val..." Vincent recovered just in time. "Crud, I almost blurted out my last name," Vincent thought. He noticed the principal's fingers impatiently drumming on his desk. "Vince Valor."

"Valor?"

"Yes, sir,"

"Hmmm, kinda sounds catchy. Welcome to Tech High Private School" the principal grabbed Vincent's hand and shook it. He released it and continued. "I'm Mr. Landis. We're honored to have you here."

"Thanks." Vincent smiled. "At home I'm Vincent Valentine, an abused rich teen, but here I'm Vince Valor, a normal teen." Vincent reminded himself through thought.

**Does Vincent's fake name sound okay with you guys? I'm sorry if this chapter was a bit cheap or a bit boring. I do a lot better with typing fanfics if I'm typing something important in a plot or a exciting chapter.**


	5. Harrassment

**Disclaimer: I don't own Vincent Valentine.**

**Authors note: If a sentence is in italics, then it means the character is thinking about something or is saying something through thought. In case you don't know what italics is, here's a word I'll write for a example, **_**thought. **_**I hope I didn't make it too confusing.**

"Class, this is Vince Valor," the teacher introduced Vincent to the class. "Please give him a fine welcome."

No one said a word. They didn't even seem to care. The class just stared at him coldly like he was a juvenile delinquent who had just got out of jail. The only noise heard was of the birds' faint chirping, coming through the open window, and someone's short cough.

This wasn't what Vincent had had in mind. He hadn't expected a welcome party or anything, but come on! They could at least pretend to care. The teacher looked at the class coldly. Vincent was worried she was going to lecture them about welcoming a new student or something like that.

"_Great! Now she's gonna make the class even colder towards me_." Vincent looked down on his shoe to avoid their cold gazes.

To both Vincent's and the class' relief, the teacher didn't lecture them. "Go ahead and take a seat."

Vincent started to walk between a row of tables. Everyone's eyes followed him as he searched the room for a seat. It was extremely hard to find a seat. The tables were medium sized and had only two chairs that faced the teacher. You could tell by looking at everyone talking, passing notes, and etc. that it was mostly buddies sitting together.

Vincent finally found an empty chair by a muscular-looking boy. He was having a conversation with a couple of boys sitting behind him. Vincent took the seat, and faced forward. The boys stared at him for a moment like he was crazy. They started to talk to each other again.

Vincent didn't need to look behind him to know they were staring at him because of the short silence when he took the seat. He knew they were talking about him instead of whatever it was they had been yapping about earlier, because he heard them say stuff like "Who is this guy?" or "Who does he think he is." He even heard the words dorky, geeky, FREAK! Vincent pretended to not hear them, and tried to focus on the black board that had some scratches and some powdery whiteness on it from erased chalk.

_"You just had to choose this seat of all places, didn't you?" _The voice in his head chose one of the worst times to bother Vincent.

"_Shut up! It's not my fault all the other seats have already been taken."_ Vincent started to ignore the voice, isolating himself from it.

"Bit uncomfortable, are ya?" The muscular teen's voice didn't seem friendly.

Vincent's focus was broken. The muscular teen distracted him from the teacher's lesson. "I'm fine." Vincent had a bad feeling about what was going to happen next, so he tried to focus on the teacher again. He grabbed a pieced of notebook paper out of his trapper, and started to take notes.

A couple of minutes later, Vincent's pencil seemed to have disappeared, and it was right in his hand! His eyes darted around, searching for the lost pencil. He found the pencil in the muscled teen's hand. The muscular teen swung the pencil left to right slowly, like he was trying to hypnotize him with it.

"Can I have it back?" Vincent's asked, trying not to sound annoyed.

The muscular teen didn't say a word. He just kept toying with the pencil.

"I don't know who you are but..." Vincent made a grab for the pencil.

The buff teen kept the pencil out of Vincent's reach by stretching his arm out farther and farther while Vincent struggled to retrieve it. It finally got to a point where the muscular teen had to lean back to prevent Vincent from getting the pencil.

"The name's Bruner, and don't you forget it," Bruner squeezed the pencil over the table until it split in half.

This happened so fast, that Vincent didn't have the chance to make an attempt to stop him. Vincent quickly picked up what was left of his pencil. This filled him with anger, but Vincent didn't want to pick up a fight with Bruner.

It wasn't because he thought Bruner could overpower him, in fact, he might have had a chance against him, but the real reason was because he didn't want to get in trouble. If his dad knew about him fighting, he might take Vincent out of private school immediately. Since Vincent didn't want to go back to endless hours of beatings, he just got another pencil out of his trapper. The teacher didn't even notice Bruner bothering him. She was too busy writing something on the black board.

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Vincent walked out of the classroom with spit wads on him. Class was terrible. Not a second went by, before Bruner was terrorizing him. He did a list of things. He would either grab some of Vincent's stuff, like his pencil, and keep it out of Vincent's reach, or call him names, throw stuff likes wads of paper or spit wads, or kick his leg under the table. To make things worse, the two boys that were behind him joined in with the harassing. They must have been Bruner's accomplices.

Vincent looked down at his schedule as he got books out of his locker. He had math class next. He carried his stuff to his next class. He took a seat on the right corner of the back of the room. He was still upset about Bruner and his thugs bothering him, so he needed a bit of space.

He was the first one in the room, beside the teacher, so the room was almost completely empty. Students began to fill in all the empty seats. No one sat by him. They just ignored him and talked to their own friends. Vincent almost jumped when he saw Bruner come in the classroom.

_"Did he come here to finish the job?"_ Vincent wondered.

Bruner went over to the seat right by Vincent, and sat in it. Since there were no more empty seats, Vincent couldn't move and Bruner couldn't sit anywhere else.

"Ah great! Now I have to sit by Freaky." Bruner snorted.

_"What did I do to deserve this!?"_

Vincent had the nerve to ask Bruner, "What classes do you have?"

At first Bruner just sat there, and didn't look at Vincent. "Here, if you must know," Bruner said coldly as he handed Vincent his schedule. He didn't even look at Vincent as he gave it to him.

_"He's in all my classes!!!" _The thought exploded in Vincent's head.

Just when Vincent thought he was safe, things got worse.

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Vincent's day was miserable so far. It was finally time for lunch. He was excited because he usually was almost starved to death. He was used to having dinner, and dinner only. No lunch. No breakfast. No snacks. Just dinner.

Vincent handed the lunch lady money, and took his tray to a table. The food looked great. He had a cheeseburger, fries, and a carton of chocolate milk on his tray. He hadn't had anything with sugar, chocolate or anything greasy since his dad had last visited, which was a month or two ago. He sat alone once again. Vincent already expected this to happen so it didn't bother him as much, but it didn't mean it didn't bother him.

He stuffed his face with a hand full of fries and swallowed. He was about to reach for some more fries, when Bruner and his two accomplices started to crowd around him. Just as Bruner walked up to his table, he grabbed a huge handful of fries, and started chewing on them.

"Hey," Vincent yelled.

"I'm starving," Bruner said with the fries still in his mouth. He swallowed and grabbed Vincent's milk and drank some of it.

"Hey! That's mine!"

"I'm thirsty."

Bruner's thugs started to laugh.

Anger built up inside Vincent. It finally drove Vincent to stand up and shout at Bruner, "You're a real pig!"

Bruner made a sly smile. "You want your milk. Here!" Bruner dumped chocolate milk on Vincent's head until no more was left. He placed the carton on Vincent's head, then crushed it.

"Got milk?" Bruner joked.

The three jerks laughed as they walked away. Vincent stood there for a moment, soaked. The whole lunchroom burst into laughter. Vincent felt a sharp pain in his heart. It was not a heart attack or anything serious like that, but shame, sorrow, and depression. Vincent couldn't take it anymore. He ran out of the cafeteria, leaving a chocolate milk trail as he ran.

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Vincent tried to dry off, but the milk started to stick, causing him trouble. He wetted a paper towel under the sink, and tried to wash off the stickiness. He looked at his reflection in the bathroom mirror. He was soaked.

_"This sucks! It's already bad enough that I'm tortured at home, but now I have to put up with it at school, too. This is supposed to be my chance to get away from it all. Why didn't father just put me in a public school or better yet, boarding school? Everyone here are loyal creeps! They're almost as bad as those snobs Veronica and Jonathon bring to our mansion. The worst thing is, I have no choice, but to deal with this."_

Vincent would rather put up with this type of torture instead of all the hell at home. Vincent didn't want to tell Grimoire about the bully problem because he didn't want to take the chance of getting his dad to think he couldn't handle private school. If Grimoire thought this, he'd put Vincent back into home schooling. Going to school was the only way to keep the beatings from getting worse or to prevent it from being too bad.

The beatings left him miserable. He remembered how his uncle would beat him up so badly and so often, he would require hospital treatment. Instead of going to a hospital, Jonathon would get the professional doctor they had in the mansion to treat Vincent. By not getting treated at a hospital, where doctors could easily spot evidence of child abuse, Jonathon and Vernica were free to beat him up as badly as they wanted.

Vernica and Jonathon had been friendly over the past two months, compared to all the other times of torture. He only got one serious beating these past two months, and he wasn't thinking about what Jonathon had done to him two days ago. No, it was a lot worse. Vincent didn't know what to do.

Just then, Bruner and his thugs walked in. Vincent spotted their reflection through the mirror. He spun around, and tried to make a break for the door, but Bruner grabbed Vincent, and swung him to the opposite direction. Vincent fell hard on his back.

"Geez, Freaky. You're so clumsy," Bruner teased.

Vincent tried to get up but one of the thugs pushed him down. The group started take turns pushing Vincent down. Then finally they started to push him at the same time. Vincent gave up on getting up. He looked at the floor. He felt tears build up behind his eyes, but managed to hold them back. After all the years of abuse, he had learned to hold back tears. He thought it just made things worse. It just made you more vulnerable. Weak.

"Oh, I think the poor little freak is gonna cry," one of the jerks teased.

The predators started to laugh at Vincent's expense. Vincent continued to sit there, not moving. He kept his eyes on the tile floor.

"Let me remind you not to tell anyone how clumsy you are," Bruner warned. "Things might get messy if someone knew."

Bruner's group walked away like nothing had happened. Like they hadn't done anything wrong.

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The bell rang. Mobs of students, eager to get home, piled out of the classrooms. They rushed to their lockers and got their things. It wasn't long until the halls were littered with paper, soda bottles, and a few lost pencils. Vincent snuck out of his last classroom. He dodged behind a support beam. Then he crept to his locker. He quickly put down the combo on his locker. Once the locker was open, he grabbed his stuff, and ran down the hall. He peeked through the glass front doors. The coast seemed clear, so Vincent quickly yanked the door open, and started to run across the school grounds. Just to be safe, Vincent hid behind a tree.

He looked around his surroundings. No sign of Bruner or his thugs so far. He left his hiding spot, and ran across the field until he was off the school grounds. He panted for a moment, and glanced over his shoulder. He seemed to be safe.

Vincent started to head in the parking lot's direction, where Lenny had dropped him off. Before Lenny drove him there, they had agreed to meet each other back in the parking lot. Vincent started to wonder if requesting Lenny to meet him in the parking lot instead of getting him to pick up at school was a good idea. He waited for a walking meter to read WALK.

As he waited, he had a sudden feeling he wasn't alone. He slowly turned his head over his shoulder, and saw Bruner and a group of thugs coming towards him. There were many of them. It seemed Bruner had gotten some more accomplices.

Vincent quickly looked at the parking meter again. It read WALK. He started to take off running. Bruner and the thugs started to chase after Vincent. Vincent went down a long street until he turned to the left, and started running across the street. He didn't even wait for the parking meter to say it was safe. As he ran, a car came at him from his right side. It got pretty close to him. It missed him by only a few inches. The driver yelled curses and scoldings at Vincent. He didn't pay attention to the yelling driver. He just kept running. He didn't even look back. He kept running and running.

Luckily, he was used to running far distances. With the life he had, he would have to run fast and long distances to escape from Jonathon. He pulled to a stop. His feet slid on the ground a bit. He was in the middle of the park. This part of the park was mostly a grassy field with some flowers. He looked behind him. Vincent didn't see any sign of them, so he started to pant. He figured it was safe.

Just as he was almost finished panting, he felt hands squeezing his arms. Vincent was pulled back, and hit something hard. He looked up and saw one of Bruner's thugs. He looked ahead and spotted Bruner's gang coming at him in all directions. They crowded him like a pride of lions about to feast on their prey. Vincent struggled, but he couldn't break loose. Bruner started punching blows on Vincent. One punch hit Vincent's shoulder. Then Bruner started to thrash his fists on Vincent's stomach. This immediately knocked the air out of him. Vincent could barely breathe. Bruner karate-chopped Vincent across the face. Vincent tried not to yell and look vulnerable, so he bit his lower lip to help keep him from shouting.

Suddenly Bruner stopped thrashing Vincent. Vincent took a few heavy breaths before looking up at Bruner. He seemed to be staring at something. Vincent looked in the direction of Bruner's gaze, and saw a small red robot. The robot had the body of a crab, an antenna on the top of it, three light bulbs (the eyes), and four crab-like legs. Bruner grinned, and approached the robot.

"Hey, look. Some kid left a cruddy-looking toy here." Bruner was about to kick the robot, but a small bolt of lightning came out of the robot's antenna and shocked Bruner, knocking him down. The thugs ran over to him and looked down at him. He didn't seem too badly hurt.

"Bruner, ya okay?" one of the thugs asked.

Bruner didn't answer. Instead, he slowly struggled to his feet. The small jab of lighting wasn't really enough to kill somebody or leave a serious injury, but it was strong enough to be extremely painful.

The robot ran at the thug that had a grip at Vincent. The robot almost moved at light speed. It quickly shocked the thug. The thug dropped Vincent, and fell backward. Vincent painfully dropped to the ground. He felt sore from the thrashing. He glanced at the thug who had held him. The thug was lying on the ground, hugging his knee, which was where the robot had shocked him. The robot started dashing at the other bullies. The bullies took off running. The robot followed them, shocking them during the chase. The thug behind Vincent finally recovered and took off running with the others.

The robot started coming in Vincent's direction. He immediately got to his feet, and put his arm out in front of him to get ready to shield himself. He was afraid the robot was coming at him. It took a turn to its left, passing right in front of Vincent. It didn't seem to have any interest in harming Vincent.

Vincent glanced at the direction where the robot was heading. He saw that it was heading for a tall hill, with a tree at the top. He ran past the robot, and went up the hill. Once he got to the top, he stopped. The robot zoomed past him, and went behind a tree. He saw someone sitting behind the tree. The stranger grabbed the robot, and got to his feet. Vincent quickly ran at him. The stranger jumped and almost dropped the robot when he saw Vincent jump in front of him. Vincent studied the stranger. He looked about his age, had spiky blond hair, and he was wearing tan, baggy pants, a white t-shirt, and a red jacket. His clothes had a bunch of rips, holes, and stains. The clothes looked like handed down clothes.

Vincent was about to thank him, but before he could get a single word out, the stranger had ran around him and took off.

"Wait!" Vincent started chasing after the mysterious teen.

**Please R&R. This is the second time I written an action scene, and my first one kind of sucked, so don't flame me if you don't like the action stuff I thought of. You can tell me ways I could do better nicely, but don't scorch me! Next chapter, Vincent seeks out the mysterious teen.**


	6. Knowing A Stranger

Vincent stopped and panted. _"Man, that guy runs fast." _

Vincent could see the teen running into a store ahead. Once Vincent was done panting, he went back to chasing the teen. He dashed to the store and yanked the door open. The stranger was nowhere in sight.

_"Hey, wait a minute. This is the same exact store I was in earlier. Where did this guy run off to?"_

Vincent noticed Mr. Larty tending to the junk food section. Vincent went over to him. Mr. Larty didn't notice him at first. Vincent stood there next to Mr. Larty and patiently waited for Mr. Larty to notice him. After a few seconds, Mr. Larty finally realized Vincent was standing next to him.

"Oh, hi there, young man," Mr. Larty greeted Vincent.

"Oh, hey Mr... Larty?" Vincent said, unsure if he said his name right.

"You got my name right. I never got your name. Could you tell me, if you don't mind?"

"It's Vince."

"Your last name?"

"Valor."

"I like that name. Hmm, you didn't come in here to keep your promise, have you?"

"Well, no-I mean, yes, but... I'm here because I'm after a teenager, probably the same age as me. I just want to meet him. It's a long story. I don't have time to explain. I was gonna meet with you later, but this happened and..." Vincent was interrupted by someone running out the door. He quickly turned his eyes to the person running, and saw that it was the boy he was after. "Hey, wait up!"

"Oh, you're after HIM. I know who he is. He's... You better go after him if you want to..."

Mr. Larty realized Vincent had already left. He sighed, shook his head slowly, and went back to organizing the junk food stocks.

Ten minutes had gone by since he'd been at the store, and Vincent was still chasing after the stranger. He finally saw the stranger run into a restaurant. Vincent followed and popped the door open. He found the stranger sitting on a booth in front of the long counter. The robot the stranger used early was placed right by the tall chair. He was facing forward. He didn't seem to notice Vincent. Vincent took a seat at the end of the counter, far away from the stranger, so he wouldn't scare him off again.

One of the cashiers went over to the stranger, "Hey, J. How was school?"

"It was okay. Nothing special happened really," the stranger replied.

"Are you gonna order?"

"I don't have the money to get anything here today. I hardly ever do. I'm just resting here. I had a LONG run."

"What happened?"

"I'll tell you later. You better serve the other customers first. Ya know how your boss gets."

"Alright, thanks for reminding me. I'll be right back." the cashier walked up to Vincent.

Vincent was worried the stranger was gonna notice him because of the cashier's approach, but the stranger didn't even take his eyes from ahead of him.

"Welcome to the Rusty Burger. May I help you?" the cashier asked politely.

Vincent studied the cashier for a moment. He looked like he was in his early twenties. The hat with a burger on the top of it almost made Vincent laugh. He didn't want to be rude, so he strained himself from laughing. He glimpsed at the stranger to be sure he hadn't noticed him. He wasn't paying attention to him, so he glanced back at the cashier.

"What does that guy get here?" Vincent said as he used his thumb to point in the stranger's direction.

"Why do you ask?"

The stranger just sat there by himself, keeping his eyes forward. The two boys that were sitting next to him had already left, leaving the bar empty, except for him and Vincent (he was still unaware of Vincent sitting at the end). When the cashier, the guy he was talking to, suddenly quickly set a tray of food in front of him, he was startled, almost causing him to fall off the booth backwards.

"Y-you scared me," the stranger said as he breathed heavily from being startled.

"Sorry."

"Adam, why are you giving me this? I can't afford it."

"Oh, it's already been paid for."

"But... how can you pay for this? You already ate lunch today, and you won't get paid until tomorrow."

"I didn't pay for it. He did." Adam pointed at Vincent, who was ordering something for himself.

The stranger got up, and headed for Vincent. He picked up the robot and held it with one arm, and dragged the tray of food down the bar as he walked with the other arm. Vincent was too busy placing his order to notice the stranger standing beside him. Once Vincent was finished, he finally noticed the stranger.

"I can't take this." The stranger pushed the tray of food towards Vincent.

"Don't worry about it. It's the least I can do."

"The least you could... Hey, aren't you the guy who chased me?"

"Yep, you ran like heck."

"Why did you chase me!?"

"To thank you. I also have a question. Why did you run away?"

"I... thought you were gonna beat me up."

"Why would I do that?"

"Well, I saw you wearing that school uniform and... Before I forget, let me introduce myself. I'm Joey. Joey Allen. What's your name?" Joey grinned. Now he knew he could trust Vincent.

"I'm Vince."

Joey took a seat by Vincent and started eating. Vincent was doing the same. As for the robot, it was placed on the bar beside Joey. Joey chewed and swallowed a french fry. Vincent slurped his drink, and wiped his mouth with a napkin.

"So, why did you run from me," Vincent asked before taking another bite of his cheeseburger.

"You go to that Tech City private school, right?"

"Yeah, I just started today."

"I go to public school. Private school must be great."

"Not really. You have to wear these stupid uniforms, and there are a bunch of royal jerks attending there."

"Oh, really?"

"Really."

"Is the food good there?"

"I don't know. I haven't had the chance to try it."

"How come?"

Vincent explained to Joey how Bruner crushed his pencil, picked on him in class, and all the other torturous things Bruner did to him. Joey listened to the story patiently, and nodded once in awhile.

"I know him. He's my worst enemy," said Joey.

"Does he pick on you?"

"He picks on everybody at my school. A lot of the private school students tease the students at my school because their parents can afford private school. They're a bunch of hot shots, all because their parents have a little more money. It's not like they're rich or anything, and even if they were, it doesn't give them the right to treat us like dirt. Our schools have been fighting for years. I don't know when or how it started. I think it started when that private school was built. I don't know." Joey took a bite of his burger.

"Thanks again for getting him off of me. I was worried he was gonna murder me."

"No worries. I enjoyed it. I even got the chance to test my security bot."

"I'm curious. How were you able to control that robot from that hill? I don't think you looked down from it as you controlled the thing."

"I used this." Joey took a cybernetic eye patch, and set it on the bar in front of Vincent.

Vincent gazed at it. It had a green screening, and looked high tech. It was one of those eye patches that you put over one of your eyes, and it lets you see what the robot is seeing. Vincent never saw anything like this except in sci-fi movies.

"Wow! This is awesome! Where did you buy this stuff?"

"I didn't buy them. I made them myself."

"_He made them!?" _Vincent couldn't believe it.

"I'm a tech geek. I love it here in Tech City. Its technology is more advanced than most of the other cities. In fact, most of the technology originated here."

"You're serious about making the robot and this eye camera thing?"

"Yeah, I make all kinds of things."

"Awesome. I really like the...OH CRUD!" Vincent suddenly remembered Lenny.

"What!?"

"I was supposed to meet someone."

"Before you go, do you want to come to my school tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow?"

"Yes."

"Will they allow me?"

"Sure, we're having a dance. My teachers may be irritated about those private school students, but I'm sure they won't mind you. Can you please come, as a friend?"

"_Friend?" _Vincent didn't think he'd heard right. He never thought anyone would call him a "friend."

"I... I will, thanks. I got to get going, bye," Vincent said as he waved and went out the door, leaving his food on the bar.

Joey waved back, and went back to eating.

Vincent wandered the streets. He was lost. He felt stupid for not asking Joey for directions before he left. The sky had already turned from a blue to a golden colour with some streaks of red and orange in it. Vincent was worried about what was going to happen when Lenny found him. He looked down, and watched his feet take steps for while. He did this until he heard the sound of a vehicle moving. Vincent looked up to his left side, and saw Lenny and the limo. Vincent stopped in his tracks. The limo slowly pulled to a stop. Vincent sighed and prepared himself for Lenny's lecture as he got into the car. He took a seat in the back, then Lenny started the limo again.

"Do you know how much you worried me!? I thought you had been kidnapped by those soldiers, or that some gangsters mugged you and seriously injured you! Why didn't you come back to the parking lot!?" Lenny hollered so loudly that his voice pounded on Vincent's ears, even though he was clear in the back.

Vincent was quiet for a few moments before he apologized. "I'm sorry. I got caught up in something."

"I'd like to hear it!" Lenny said unfriendly. He wasn't being mean. He was just angry.

Vincent explained to Lenny about going after Joey, who later took off, to the part where Lenny pulled up beside him. He didn't tell Lenny about Joey rescuing him from those thugs. Instead, he said he had seen the robot zoom by him as he was heading for the parking lot, and got curious, so he followed it.

"I'm not dropping you off like that anymore." Lenny didn't even look back at Vincent as he said this. He just kept his eyes on the road.

"B-but why!? I didn't get hurt!"

"If you didn't get hurt then were did you get those scratches, bruises, and the tears in you clothes?"

"I... tripped down the school's stairs." Vincent said uneasily. He didn't like lying to Lenny.

Lenny was silent for a moment. "You're lying."

"I'm serious."

"How could you get those type of injuries from falling down the stairs. You would have broken or at least sprained something if that had happened."

"I-I don't know exactly how the stairs could have done this, but think about it. My clothes could have been torn while I was tumbling down the stairs. I could have scratched myself on the step's corners. I could have gotten bruises from banging on the steps."

"True, but falling down the stairs would leave a more serious injury. You would have busted something or hit you head, falling unconscious. Even if you're telling the truth, I'm not dropping you off like that anymore. I might even get your father to hire bodyguards to protect you to prevent an accident from happening again. I might consider holding it off if you tell me what REALLY happened."

"Lenny, please!" Vincent kept pleading. "Listen. I didn't fall all the way down. I fell only halfway down the stairs. Falling down the stairs isn't always serious. Accidents happen. Even if I had bodyguards, I still would have fallen. Please don't tell Father. He won't understand. He'll think I'm not safe at that school and he'll make me go back to home schooling. And I don't need the..."

"I'm sure home schooling is safer than private school!" Lenny interrupted.

Vincent sighed. _"If only he knew." _

Lenny didn't know Vincent was abused. He hardly ever went inside the mansion. He normally didn't even stay outside the mansion for too long. Vincent wasn't mad at Lenny. He understood that if Lenny knew, he would have not only lain off him, but he would have reported it. Vincent never told Lenny because he didn't think the cops would believe him if Lenny reported it. Jonathon or Vernica would just hire a professional lawyer to get them out of the jam easily.

"This is my chance to have a normal life," Vincent began. "Almost as long as I remember, I've been hiding from the world. I didn't even have any real friends. I'm tired of hiding. I truly am. Please understand."

Lenny was silent again for a few moments. "What if you get hurt again?"

"I promise it won't happen again. Besides, I don't need bodyguards. I can defend myself."

What Vincent said was true. He secretly worked out before he went to bed most of the time. His aunt and uncle were clueless about it. The dress shirt and school uniform hid his muscles. He only looked so slim because he didn't eat that much. Vincent did this because he wanted to get strong enough to fight off his uncle one day, but he always chickened out at the last minute. Sometimes, it was because his uncle was drunk, and it wouldn't be wise to fight with him. If Vincent was going to die one day, he wanted to do it without pain.

He didn't want to fight Bruner and his thugs when they attacked him on the way from school because there were so many of them, and he had never tested out his strength, so he didn't know if he stood a chance. He might have just steamed them up if he had done that.

"Alright, but I'm still not dropping you off like that again."

"WHAT!? Didn't you hear what I said!?"

"Yes, but all the fear you gave me today made me realize what truly could have happened."

"Please, please, please, Lenny!"

"No!"

"I have a new friend. I've gotta."

"Friend?"

"Joey. Joey Allen. Ya know, the robot master."

"Oh, him. Didn't he ask you to come to his school's dance?"

"Yes, so I need your support."

Lenny sighed a tiring sigh. "Fine, I give up! I guess I can let you loose a bit, BUT on one condition."

"Anything! You name it!" Vincent was so excited he leaned forward in his seat.

"If you go missing like that again, or if anything else seriously happens to you, I'll take you straight from the school, and straight home. I won't let you out in the city alone ever again. Got it?"

"Yes! Lenny you rock!"

"Rock? Hmm... Is that good?"

"Yeah! You bet it is!"

Lenny smiled at this thought. Next thing they knew, they were in front of the mansion.

"Here we are. Uhh, what are you gonna tell your aunt? You had to be late for a reason."

"I'll just tell her I stayed after school to get some extra stuff done." Vincent climbed out of the car and slammed the door behind him. "Thanks!" Vincent called as he entered the mansion.

Vincent was excited. He finally had a friend. He just couldn't wait.


	7. A Dance To Remember

**Author's Note: Sorry it took so long to update. I had to retype the chapter because it was erased and replaced by scribbles, so I had to start over. I was halfway through the fanfic and everything. Man, I'm ticked! I think my dad missed it up when he was trying to download them stupid pictures. He won't admit it, but I can tell it's his fault. At times like these I wish I can hit him with a rock and...grrrrr...well, I have other reasons it took me so long to update.**

Vincent stepped out of the limo, then headed to the school. The sky was an extremely light golden colour, close to changing to black because of it being so late. The warm summer air made the school grounds feel more peaceful. Vincent swatted at a mosquito that was buzzing near his ear as he walked to the school, but missed it. The insect kept annoying him with its buzzing. He continued attempting to swat it rapidly until the buzzing disappeared.

_"That's one problem with summer. Too many bugs! Man, I hate mosquitoes! They're so annoying. Most bugs have a purpose, even flies, which is food for some animals like frogs n' stuff. Mosquitoes, on the other hand, are useless and annoying. Why do we have to put up with them? All they do is suck our blood or get us sick with malaria."_

As Vincent got closer to the red building, he could hear some type of hip hop song booming throughout the school. Vincent entered and wandered down the empty halls. Navy green lockers were lined down the halls. He kept searching for the gym, where the dance was supposed to take place, but was still having trouble finding this room. He heard music faintly echoing through the school, so he followed the noise. He finally found double doors that looked like the type of doors normally in gyms. He pushed the doors open, and stepped inside.

The dance was almost exactly like he had expected. There were students (mostly boys) pigging out at the table covered in snacks. A group of girls hung out near the punch bowl. Couples and friends danced to the music. A DJ created some extra sound effects for the music. Some groups of people stayed near the walls, having a conversation with another. All kinds of noise filled the room, making the blaring. Different colours of light danced on the walls and other objects in the room.

The only thing Vincent didn't expect was for the lights to be so bright. The glimmer irritated his eyes. He shielded his eyes with his arm, protecting them from the lights. After some seconds, Vincent slowly lowered his arm. His eyes were now adapted to the lights, so he thought there was no longer the need to give his eyes the protection.

He started to make his way through the gym, searching for Joey. No one seemed to have noticed him at first. They were too busy enjoying themselves. One by one, students began to notice him. Their once joyful faces were now replaced by cold glares. They started to move away from him. It finally got to the point where everyone in the room was staring at him. People stopped dancing. Friends and couples were no longer talking. Students near the food table stopped stuffing their faces with food. The music even came to a halt.

Vincent felt the spotlight of attention shined upon him. He could feel everyone's glare beam at him. He began to feel confused. Why were they staring at him? He looked down and realized he was wearing his private school uniform instead of the dress outfit he was going to wear.

_"How could this have happened!? I could have sworn..."_

Vincent retraced his steps. He remembered setting the dress clothes on his bathroom's sink, taking a shower, quickly getting dressed, and running out to the limo. Well, actually he sneaked out of the mansion so his aunt or uncle wouldn't notice then ran to the limo once he got outside. Vincent was in a hurry because he was running late because of some of the classes Jonathon and Vernica still forced on him. He must have slipped on the school uniform without thinking.

This made Vincent's blood start to turn cold from terror, knowing the students were ready to pounce. His heart beat rapidly. A bit of sweat trickled down his face. He felt frozen, like a cold statue.

A student, probably two to three years older than Vincent, approached him, fists up.

His brain screamed run, but he was still frozen into place. It was as if he was covered in ice, unable to move. He remained still until the older student was now face to face with him. Vincent backed up a couple steps before the older student grabbed him by the shirt and lifted him up.

"Who do ya think you are!?" the older student shouted.

"Uh... I think I'm Vince," Vincent stupidly stammered even though this was way out of his character. He normally wouldn't make a stammer like that. If the older student wasn't so big, and there weren't so many people in the room who probably wanted to kill him, he would have handled the situation better.

"Oh, I see we got a smart guy!"

"No! I-I..."

_"Smooth move, genius," _the voice in his head remarked. _"Now we're gonna die a very embarrassing death. Ya happy now?"_

_"Shut up!" _Vincent commanded. _"I'm already having enough problems. Why don't you bother somebody else?"_

_"You dumb#$, I can't leave your head, remember? If I could, I would have chosen a host with a real brain. Not some idiot who can't survive in the real world."_

_"Why don't you just back off!? If you don't mind, I'll fix this mess."_

_"I do mind. You're the one who is gonna get us killed."_

_"Too bad. This is my life. My choice. Get over it."_

"Hey! I'm talking to you!"

The older student's yell made Vincent snap back to reality. "Huh? What?"

"I said what are you doing here? Just because you go to that fancy school, doesn't give you the right to waltz in here like you own the place."

"Let me explain."

"How snobby you are? Forget it. You don't need to tell me." The older student raised his fist towards Vincent.

"Hey, hey, hey! Now don't go beating him up. I invited him, remember?" Vincent and the entire room glanced at the direction of the voice to find a very ticked off Joey approaching the two boys.

"Wait, is this the guy you were talking about?" the older student asked.

"Well, duh! Do you think a private school student would just walk in here by himself, uninvited?" Joey said as he stood beside the older student. "Now put him down nicely."

The older student gently set Vincent down. "Sorry. Just because you invited him doesn't mean I trust him. I'm keeping my eye on him."

The older student walked away and joined the group of boys he had left earlier. The party slowly returned to normal, but Vincent still received glances from other people from time to time.

"Sorry about what just happened," Joey apologized. "Wayne isn't usually like this."

"It's fine. I should have expected this to happen."

"Wayne protects the school from threats. He was just being overprotective. Private students often pick on some of the people here, so he's used to these students doing cocky stuff. He's not evil, like Bruner. What were you thinking when you came here with that?" Joey pointed at the uniform Vincent was wearing.

"Sorry, I accidentally came here with this instead of the other outfit I was gonna wear. I was running late, so you could tell I wasn't exactly thinking."

"Just feel lucky I came here when I did or your face wouldn't still be attached." Joey smiled.

"Yeah, thanks. I didn't mean to..."

"It's all in the past now. Let's just enjoy the dance while we can."

"I don't know much about dances."

Joey stared at Vincent with a confused expression for a few moments. "Doesn't your school have dances?"

"I don't know. I only went to the school once, remember?"

"Oh, I forgot. Didn't your old school have any dances?"

"I was home schooled my whole life. I don't know anything about dances. Well, except for some stuff on tv."

"You were home schooled? Hmm, I never met anyone home schooled before. Was it great? Ya know, getting to stay home instead of going to school?"

"Uhh, not really."

"Why... never mind. Let's just party. Ya with me?"

"Uhh..." Vincent began to hesitate. "Yes."

"Great!" Joey grabbed Vincent by the arm and dragged him across the dance floor.

"W-Woah!" Vincent exclaimed as he was dragged.

Vincent was having the time of his life. It had been years since he'd had this much joy. For a while, Vincent didn't know what the warmness in his heart was.

_"Is this... happiness? Is this what it's like to have a friend? To have someone who cares about you?" _Vincent thought about this for a minute. _"No, he's just being nice. He's probably not really interested in me. He'll probably get bored with me soon."_

This thought made Vincent stop dancing, and put a frown on his face. He started to stare down on the floor.

Joey noticed his action and expression, and also halted. "What's wrong? Aren't you having fun?"

"Yeah, I was just thinking about something. That's all." Vincent directed his eyes back to Joey, then faked a smile.

"You're upset about something, aren't you?"

_"How does he know!?" _Vincent wondered. _"Did I really make it that obvious?"_

"No!" Vincent quipped. "I... just make this face when I'm thinking."

Joey studied him for a minute. Vincent was worried he could see through his lie. But instead Joey said, "Oh...okay. I just wanted to be sure you were okay."

Vincent wanted to be alone for a few moments. Just long enough to get his act together. Then he thought of the bathroom. "Is there a bathroom I can use?"

"Yes." Joey pointed at a doorless entrance that was at the right of the gym. "The restroom is down the hall to the left. There are a couple doors with signs on it. One says women, and the other says men. It shouldn't be too hard to find."

"Thanks. I'll be back." Vincent headed out of the gym, and down the hall.

The only noise he heard was the faint music coming out of the gym, and his own footsteps. After awhile, a familiar stench invaded Vincent's nostrils. Vincent sniffed the air again.

_"No it can't be."_

Vincent got closer to the end of the hall. As he got closer, the familiar stench kept invading his nose. When he saw smoke that was extremely thick, making it non-transparent, he knew he had recognized the familiar stench correctly. FIRE!

**Sorry if some stuff Joey, and other characters in this fanfic said was cheap. I was kinda in a hurry when I was typing this. I'm also sorry this chapter is shorter than most chapters I wrote. I just wanted to get this chapter posted badly and couldn't stand to leave my fans waiting. I was getting bored with my own chapter so I was eager to skip to the exciting part. I'll try not to let it happen again. I'll have to go back to school Wednesday, so don't expect for me to keep getting this chapter updated so quickly. I hope you enjoyed the chapter, regardless of cheesy lines. The next chapter will be better.**


	8. Sea of Flames

**Disclaimer: I wish I owned Vincent, but I don't. I don't see the point in disclaimers on this site. Readers pretty much know nobody owns most of the characters they use.**

**Author's Note: No flames**.

The flames worsened by the second. Flames rose higher and higher until they reached the ceiling. Smoke filled the hall, making it almost suffocating. The temperature of Vincent's surroundings changed critically. Vincent backed up as the flames started to approach him. He swiftly spun around, and took off into a run. As the got near the door, he slid sideways to a stop. Then he yanked the door open and dashed inside.

"WE GOTTA GET OUT OF HERE!!!" Vincent shouted, drawing attention. "THE SCHOOL'S ON FIRE!!!"

Not long after he said this, smoke started to follow closely behind him. He quickly dashed away from the door. Almost everyone panicked. People screamed, scurried around the room, and desperately headed for the door.

"You did this!" Wayne immediately grabbed Vincent by the shirt as he yelled.

"No, I didn't."

"Liar! I oughta..."

"HELLO! There's no time to argue! We need to get out of here! Fast! Save it for outside!"

"Fine! But this doesn't mean I will let you off later." Wayne released Vincent, and announced, "Everybody, don't panic!" Once the room became silent, Wayne finished his orders. "We need to get outta here quickly and calmly. I'll lead everyone out."

The students obeyed and paced to the other gym doors. A small group of people still ran. This caused memories of the great slaughter that happened almost ten years ago to flood to Vincent's mind.

He stood there for a minute until Wayne pushed him and said, "C'mon, do you want to get caught in the fire!?"

Vincent shook his head to snap back to reality. He ran and caught up with the rest of the group.

Wayne led the group to the front door. They were lucky so far. They didn't encounter any flames while they headed out. The students quickly piled out of the school. Vincent was about to head out when he realized something. Joey wasn't outside! Vincent's eyes darted as he searched for Joey from the front door. He didn't see him outside. He was sure of it. He turned around and saw Wayne talking to a girl about Vincent's age.

"Where's Joey?" Wayne asked the girl.

"I-I don't know. Isn't he outside?" the female student uneasily asked.

"No, he isn't. I looked." Vincent's outburst made Wayne and the female student look in his direction.

"Are ya sure?" Wayne asked Vincent.

Vincent nodded.

"This isn't good!" The female student put her hand over her mouth from being so worried.

"What is it, Stacy!?" Wayne demanded.

"Before the fire started, Joey told me he had to get a textbook he forgot. He ran off to his locker and... never came back."

Vincent didn't wait to think about his action. He just dashed down the hall, searching for Joey.

"Wait!" Wayne chased after Vincent and tried to stop him, but Vincent was way too fast. He already was turning at the end of the hall when Wayne started running. As Wayne got to the end of the hall, Vincent had already disappeared. Vincent was now too far ahead for Wayne to catch him.

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As Vincent got deeper in the school, the smoke got stronger. It was almost as if he was heading straight for the fire. Vincent made a sharp turn, and saw the flames quickly spreading in his direction. The flames made the hall scorching hot. It was as if Vincent was walking in an oven. He quickly spun around on one heel, and scampered to another hall. The flames almost burned Vincent as he ran for his life.

The other hall wasn't that much better than the first one. It was still covered in flames, but it was clear enough for Vincent to walk through if he was careful and hurried. At first, Vincent hesitated. He wondered if he had enough time to save Joey, and get out of there. An unpleasant feeling known as fear ate at Vincent. He trembled badly.

The voice in his head said, _"Smooooth! Going into the fire, not knowing what the heck you're doing. What's next?"_

"Shut up," Vincent yelled.

Vincent gulped and swallowed his fear. He no longer feared the flames as much. He finally gained the guts to brave the fire. Vincent ran through the empty spots the flames hadn't reached yet. The fire was slowly starting to cover the empty spots like a large gate closing on intruders. One of his ankles got burned, but it wasn't serious enough to keep Vincent from running. He yelped as the flame scorched him and kept running.

The smoke was starting to get extremely dangerous. It was starting to fill Vincent's lungs. He had to hurry. The thick smoke made Vincent cough intensely. It was terribly thick, making it almost impossible to see where he was going. It was as if he was walking straight into complete darkness.

As Vincent was making his way through the smoke, he tripped over something, and almost fell flat on his face, but he managed to use his hands to soften his landing. The smoke was now floating over Vincent.

_"Maybe it's a good thing I tripped after all," _Vincent thought as realized the smoke was no longer filling his lungs, but he still was coughing. He slowly got to his knees, and crawled to the object. He didn't stand up because he didn't want to inhale any more smoke. Vincent couldn't see too well because his glasses were covered in something black, from the smoke. Vincent quickly removed his glasses, and used his shirt to polish them until they were clean enough for him to see. He placed them back on his face, and realized the object was Joey, lying on the floor.

Vincent flipped Joey on his back, so he would breathe properly. Joey was still alive, but he was gasping for breath. Joey seemed to have breathed in a lot more smoke than Vincent.

"Vi-Vince..." Joey said with a raspy voice. He sounded like he was badly dehydrated. He didn't have the strength to finish his sentence.

"Save your strength," Vincent commanded. "I'll get us outta here. I promise."

"E...xtingui...sher." Joey's word was broken up by lack of strength.

"Huh?" Vincent put his face closer to Joey's, so he could hear better. "What did you say?"

Joey just moaned. He couldn't say anything else because he was in a critical condition. All he could do was shift his eyes, trying to point to something. Vincent didn't notice Joey shift his eyes at first. Joey repeated the action once more. Vincent looked at him, confused. After a few moments, Vincent realized what Joey was trying to do. He was trying to show him something.

Vincent looked over his shoulder and saw a fire extinguisher in a glass case. Even though smoke was covering most of it, Vincent could recognize the object. Vincent swiftly got to his feet and started banging on the glass. He didn't do this for too long because he started choking on smoke again. He collapsed backwards to escape the smoke. He checked the glass case. He didn't break the glass. There wasn't even a single crack. Vincent punched the floor, frustrated. Just then, Vincent spotted a textbook near Joey. It was the same textbook Joey had left to get.

He picked up the textbook, and studied it for a minute. It seemed thick enough to bust the glass. Without even asking for Joey's approval, he quickly jumped to his feet, and started to smash the glass with the textbook. The glass began to crack open as he beat the glass. The smoke invading his lungs made him beat the glass faster. He finally busted the glass. Shards of glass landed on the floor. He yanked the extinguisher out of the case and collapsed backwards again, dropping the textbook as he fell.

Vincent coughed for a minute, with the extinguisher in hand. Once he was done coughing, he placed the fire extinguisher's handle in his mouth then he grabbed Joey by the hand. He started to crawl down the hall, dragging Joey around. It wasn't as easy as it sounds. Try crawling with an extinguisher in your mouth, dragging someone by the arm, crawling with one hand, and doing it quickly. Vincent struggled to do all these tasks at once. The extinguisher left an unpleasant taste in his mouth, and the spit that he couldn't swallow because he had the object in his mouth wasn't helping much. It just made it more difficult to keep the huge metal container in his mouth. His palms started to get sweaty, making it hard to keep a grip on Joey's wrist.

After so much struggling, Vincent finally got to a hall where less smoke was hovering. There was still a problem. Instead of smoke, it was covered in flames. Vincent put Joey on his shoulders as he stood up. He removed the extinguisher from his mouth, and started spraying the fire, trying to clear a path. He cleared up a big chuck of flames, but more flames were starting to replace the lost blazes. Vincent took this time to run in the clearing with Joey still on his back. The fire quickly built up just as Vincent stepped out of the clearing.

Vincent paced instead of running because he was worried a flame would sneak up in front of him. He darted his eyes around his surroundings constantly, watching out for flames and crumbling architecture. Sweat covered his face. It was as if he was in a sauna, except ten times hotter. When Vincent got to the hall, where the front doors were supposed to be located, he saw that the flames had already reached that place.

_"Should I use this here?" _Vincent wondered himself. He studied the flames for a minute. _"No, too risky." _Vincent slowly turned around and headed in a different way.

Vincent decided not to use the extinguisher on the flames at that hall for a number of reasons. First, he was worried about the flames closing on him after he used what was left of the fire extinguisher. The hall looked too long to get out alive. He also would have trouble running with Joey on his back and didn't want to risk him dying with him. The only reason he was able to get out of the last faded clearing was because he didn't have to run that far. Second, he didn't want to waste what was left of what was inside the extinguisher.

Vincent made his way through the burning halls. The heat was so intense, that it caused Vincent to squint his eyes. He was searching for a room where the fire hadn't reached yet.

Suddenly, a part of the ceiling started to crumble. Cracks developed in the ceiling until a large section of the ceiling collapsed. The section landed right in front of Vincent, making him scream and jump. Vincent breathed heavily because he was so badly startled. The section missed him by a few inches. Joey was still too weak to react. He hadn't even noticed the fallen section because he was halfway still unconscious. Vincent stood there in shock for a few moments. As soon as he pulled himself together, he continued to search for a safe spot.

For a while, he couldn't find a safe place to make their escape, but he finally spotted a hall and a couple of rooms that hadn't been touched by the blazes yet. One room was on the left side of the hall, and the other one was on the right side. Vincent chose to enter the room on his left. He headed for the room, and wrenched the door open.

The room looked like a lab. The walls were a plain white. The floor was covered in a golden colour. A counter with a bunch of drawers was against the wall, under the window. There was a long bar against the wall that had vials filled with chemicals, and booths were pushed up against it. There were rows of desks and chairs like in his other classes, and there was a wooden cabinet near the door.

_"I must be in the science room." _

Vincent gently placed Joey in one of the corners of the room. Joey's back was up against the wall with his head tipped sideways. Then he set the extinguisher next to Joey. Just as Vincent started walking away from Joey, Joey coughed. Vincent turned around just enough to look behind him. Joey seemed fine, but out cold. Vincent went over to the window, and tried to get the window open. The knob was jammed, so Vincent couldn't get the window open. Vincent pulled on the knob hard. He pressed his feet against the bottom of the counter to help him pull on the window. His muscles strained as he made his effort. It felt like the muscles were being stretched out. Even with the pain pulling on him, he still kept trying. Vincent unexpectedly fell backwards, landing hard on his back.

Vincent slowly lifted his back off the floor and moaned, "Owww." He rubbed his back for a minute.

He slowly rose, and tried to open the window again. The window was still tightly sealed. Vincent thought for a moment then got an idea. He ran over to the fire extinguisher, picked it up, and ran back to the window. He slammed the window with the bottom of the fire extinguisher. The first blow was enough to send the window flying open. The window hit the outside of the building, then slowly bounced back. It was halfway closed. Cracks were made in the glass from Vincent hitting it so hard.

After he placed the extinguisher on the counter to the side, he looked down on the ground. It wasn't high enough for someone to die if someone jumped out, but it was high enough for anyone to be concerned. Vincent froze there at the counter, and kept staring at the ground. He wondered if his plan was going to work. He checked on Joey, and saw him still sitting at the same spot he left him. Vincent returned to Joey, them put Joey back on his shoulders.

Meanwhile, outside the hall, the flames were making their way to the science room. They crawled on walls and ceiling, destroying everything in their path. The blazes began to devour the hall. It was like an ugly plague, threatening to destroy the school. The blazes crept on the science room door, and started burn at the door.

The familiar smell of smoke alerted Vincent when he was halfway to the window. The flames swiftly started to fill the room in seconds. The flames approached the boys. When a flame almost scorched Vincent's foot, he jumped back to dodge it.

Vincent spun around and ran for the window. He quickly grabbed the extinguisher and aimed it at the flames. Nothing came out of the metal container. Not a single sound except for the click of its trigger.

"Huh?" Vincent pressed the trigger a few more times. "D#$ it!" Vincent threw the object harshly on the floor. The sound of metal smacking the floor was heard. "Now you go off on us!" He spun around again and started to climb the counter in front of the window.

Little did he know about the science rockets inside of the wooden cabinet. The fire started to make its way toward the cabinet. Within seconds, the rockets were consumed by flames, and set off.

Vincent had just pulled himself on to the counter when he turned around and saw a big explosion coming towards them. Vincent immediately dove out of the window. The explosion arrived at the counter just as Vincent's feet left the window. Part of the explosion even reached outside the window, nearly scorching Vincent and Joey. Luckily, they were plunging to the ground when the flames flew out. Vincent couldn't tell for sure, but he could swear the explosion was so close, it about scorched the top of his head.

Vincent landed harshly with Joey still on his back. He released Joey to the ground, and rolled sideways until he was on his back. He could see the fire still consuming the school. Smoke floated up into the sky, and disappeared into the atmosphere. Vincent's stomach now hurt. He moaned and put his hand on his stomach.

_"I'm gonna be feeling that tomorrow," _Vincent thought as he rubbed his stomach to help ease the pain.

Vincent glanced at Joey to find him still unharmed, other than having inhaled too much smoke. Joey's eyes weren't too widely opened. He looked weakened, almost drowsy. Vincent suddenly realized what he had done. He couldn't believe he had risked his life for someone he had known for only a day.

_"I don't understand...why did I..." _Vincent wondered. _"Is... this what it's like to have something worth dying for? Is it deeds like these that create a bond of friendship?"_

Vincent lifted his back off the ground, and started to sit up. He had one leg stretched out with one bent, and his arm resting on the one bent leg.

"I see them!" A voice could be heard from afar. Vincent looked in the voice's direction to see firemen coming their way.

At first Vincent was happy about this, but to his horror he saw cops following the firemen, and worst of all, a news crew with a camera and everything.

"Oh... no," Vincent began to mutter to himself.

_"I can't let the news crew put me on live tv, because Jonathon and Veronica will know I... no, I gotta get outta here."_

**I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Sorry if the action scene was kinda sloppy. I'm not good with writing action scenes. Please R&R.**


	9. Runaway

**Disclaimer: I don't own Vincent. I can only wish.**

**Author's Note: Sorry I hadn't updated for a while. I had to go back to school, and it was hard to find time to get this chapter done. It's important for you to read the note at the bottom, especially the very last part.**

Vincent jumped to his feet as one of the firemen's flashlight's glimmer got close to him.

"V-Vince..." Joey moaned with his eyes slightly opened.

Vincent glanced at Joey then at the adults running at him. He quickly glanced back at Joey and bent over him.

"Sorry, I have to leave you like this," Vincent whispered to Joey before he took off.

Vincent's feet pounded the blackened, grassy field. The only thing lighting the path ahead of him was the fire that made his surroundings appear reddish-black.

Vincent's lack of rest after his last stunt made it more difficult for him to run. His chest burned as he forced himself to dash forward. His heart beat rapidly. His side began to cramp, but he still kept running.

Vincent heard footsteps behind him, getting closer by the second. This made him run even faster. He didn't even bother looking back. He already knew someone was starting to chase him.

"Wait, kid!" Someone behind Vincent called out. "Stop! Where are ya goin'!? We're just trying to help!"

Vincent still didn't stop. He made a turn near the school and spotted a wire fence ahead of him. He ran over to the fence, and jumped at it. He made a grab for a couple of wires, then started climbing. His sweaty palms made it difficult to pull his weight to the top, but still managed to get to the top. Vincent carefully slid over to the other side of the fence. As his stomach slid over the top, a part of his shirt got caught on the wire that was sticking out, causing his shirt to tear. He didn't pay attention to his shirt. He just released the fence and dropped to the other side. Vincent started to run towards the woods. He finally looked over his shoulder as he ran, and saw a man flashing a flashlight on the fence. The flash nearly reflected through the fence and on him, but it missed barely.

He put his eyes ahead of him. Once he was out of the woods and near a street, he stopped, and started catching his breath. He bent over and rested his hands on his legs as he breathed heavily. Luckily, the woods weren't too large. Vincent started to moan, and placed his hand on his stomach. His stomach ached from landing on his stomach earlier.

_I hope I didn't crack a rib, _Vincent painfully hoped.

After he stood there for a while, his pain eased, but it didn't completely disappear. He slowly lifted his head and started heading down the street.

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Vincent had wandered the street for almost half an hour. He passed countless shops, cars, and people. He held his hand toward his aching stomach as he walked. No one even asked if he was okay. It didn't bother Vincent too much because he was used to being ignored. Soon rain started to pour, but Vincent paid no attention to it. Many questions started to cloud his head.

_Why is everyone in the city so cold? People here pass each other like the other person doesn't matter, like everyone are parallel lines, never making any connection with another. Is it like this everywhere on this planet? _

_What does caring and love truly mean? How do you gain these affections from someone else? Do you have to assist someone with many tasks? Do you have to give someone many gifts before they start to like you? Do you have to achieve many things to impress people, and achieve their affection?_

_How come there are things like friendship? Do people bond because they get something in return? Do they just want their "friend's" success to rub off them? Could it be something more?_

_If the answer to some of these questions is yes then what about what's happened these past two days? Why did I run into that store even though Mr. Larty could have yelled at me for helping him? Why did he offer a reward for me even though he knew he would lose some profit if I took something from the store? _

_And Joey. Why did he help me even though I could have been a threat to him? Why did he invite me to the dance even though he knew the other students from his school would probably hate him for it? He didn't know me that well. I haven't even done that much for him yet. _

_What about me rescuing Joey? Why did I risk my life for someone I didn't know that well? Sure, I see it a lot whenever I get to watch tv, but it doesn't mean as much. It's just acting. No one dies. No one even gets hurt. Did I do it because I've wanted to die for so long, or was I trying to find out my true strength? Did I do it for glory? No, I ran, and my aunt and uncle would kill me if they saw me on tv. Why did I risk so much for him? I just don't get it. I somehow have a pleasant feeling from rescuing him, but I still don't get it._

_How could someone care about someone as ugly, stupid, and useless as me? My aunt and uncle say I'm so useless. I'll never be of any use._

_Then finally, there's father. Does he love me? Does he even care about me? I see and heard so little from him, so I just can't seem to feel much affection for him. This affection doesn't really feel as much as a father son relationship... at least, to me it doesn't. To me, he's more like a neighbor. Someone who buys me some gifts and is kinda nice. This neighbor is away somewhere, and I don't get to talk to him that much, so we don't have much of a relationship. I may like him a bit, I guess. But... I just don't know him that well. _

_That's all he feels to me. It's sad but true. Why does he leave me so much? Does he avoid seeing me? Is he only nice to get something? If he wants something then what is it? _

_Each question keeps creating more, leaving many unanswered. I just don't know what "love" truly is. Whatever it is, I have barely ever been exposed to it in my life. _

Vincent's thoughts were interrupted by a light flashing on his back. He turned around and spotted Lenny's limo. There didn't seem to be any other people around except him and Lenny. Even in the darkness, Vincent could still recognize the limo. He patiently waited for the limo to pull to a stop next to him. He pulled the door open and climbed into the limo.

Right when Vincent was inside the limo, Lenny started to yell at him as he drove. Lenny wasn't trying to sound mad. He was just afraid of Vincent being hurt and mad at himself for letting Vincent go to the dance.

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"What if you got killed in the fire!" Lenny said after Vincent told him what happened. His voice was so harsh that it kept Vincent silent during most of the drive. "Do you know how much trouble I would be in if you died!? Do you know how much guilt I would feel!? I wouldn't be able to live with myself!"

"Lenny, I'm sorry," Vincent finally said. "I didn't mean to worry you. How was I supposed to now there was gonna be a fire?"

Lenny was silent for a few moments before saying, "I'm not letting you into the city any more. I'm only taking you to school and that's it." Lenny's voice was low, and hard to hear.

"W-WHY!? I didn't get hurt!" Vincent pleaded. He knew he was lying about the "didn't get hurt" part. He was just desperate to reason with Lenny.

"You know why." Lenny raised his voice.

Vincent could seem his angry expression in his reflection on the car mirror. "PLEASE! I promise I won't..."

"NOT ANOTHER WORD! I'M NOT LETTING YOU INTO THE CITY BY YOURSELF AND THAT'S FINAL!!!" Lenny's yell sliced Vincent's sentence, causing Vincent to be silent the rest of the way.

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The limo made a stop near the mansion stoop. Vincent climbed out of the limo, and made his way up the steps. Rain was still pouring. Vincent could hear the sound of the limo driving away as he crept inside the mansion. The building was completely dark. It was difficult to see where he was going. He slowly made his way to the stairs. His foot was on the first step when the lights suddenly flashed on. Vincent slowly turned his head over his shoulder and saw Jonathon lowering his hand from the light switch. Vincent spun around, and helplessly watched his uncle stomp towards him. His brain screamed for him to run, but he just froze there. He knew that if he ran, it would make things worse.

Jonathon grabbed a part of Vincent's collar. Vincent was yanked forward, face to face to Jonathon. Vincent was now so close to Jonathon, he could smell his nasty scented breath. He recognized the smell. It was the smell of beer, which meant Jonathon had been drinking. By the strong smell, he seemed to be badly drunk. Jonathon's face was already red.

"Where were you?" Jonathon's voice was strangely calm, but still cruel.

"School," Vincent said without emotion.

"Oh really? What for!? It's almost eleven o' clock!"

"I-I was at a club at school," Vincent stammered.

Jonathon threw Vincent onto the floor, then pressed his foot on Vincent's chest, "What kind of club!? The Heven Club?"

"I was at... the math club!" Vincent was barely able to get the words out because Jonathon's foot was making it hard for him to breathe.

"Liar! I want the truth now!" Jonathon started to kick Vincent repeatedly. It wasn't long before Jonathon started punching blows on Vincent. Jonathon began thrashing Vincent. He stopped beating him after a while, and sniffed something. "Why are your school clothes ruined!? You messed them up after only a couple of days! And why do you smell like burnt wood!? Look at your shirt! It's badly torn! You filthy swine! Now we have to waste money on new clothes for a pig! Tell me where you really were, or else!"

"I told you before, math club."

"Fine, if that's the way you want it..." Jonathon started to kick and punch Vincent more rapidly. It wasn't long before Vincent heard the crack of one of his bones breaking. Vincent yelped in pain.

"Help! Somebody help me!" Vincent cried loudly even though he knew no one could hear him. He just hoped whoever was in charge of choosing who lived and who died, would strike him dead now. Vincent yelled in pain when Jonathon punched Vincent hard in the face.

"Shut up!" Jonathon gave Vincent a strong kick in the stomach, causing Vincent to yelp and moan in pain.

Jonathon finally decided to leave him on the floor for a few moments, while he walked into the living room. Vincent couldn't help but to whimper a bit. He was in so much pain. He bit his lower lip to stop whimpering but he was too late. Jonathon stomps back into the room and starts beating Vincent up again.

"I said SHUT UP!!!" Jonathon commanded, punching a blow on Vincent's face. Jonathon yanked Vincent up by his hair, and started to put him in a headlock.

Luckily for Vincent, the phone rang. Jonathon dropped Vincent, letting him land harshly on the tile floor. Jonathon picked up the phone and answered it like nothing was happening. As Jonathon was talking, he pointed up the stairs, motioning for Vincent to go to his room. Vincent slowly pulled himself up, and limped up the stairs. He had to use the railing to support him enough to climb the stairs.

He let himself land on his bed. He didn't even care he was wearing his torn and burned school clothes. It was hard for Vincent to fall asleep for a while because he was worried his uncle was going to barge in and finish the job, just like he used to do three months ago.

He wished he could just run away from this place, but he didn't have the strength right now or the courage. He knew that if he ran away, his uncle would probably easily find him and it would make the beatings a lot worse. Besides, he didn't know much about the city. He probably wouldn't survive. All he wanted was to escape the pain.

Finally, Vincent managed to fall asleep.

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The next morning, Vincent felt terrible. Pain shot through his body as he awakened. His stomach was in terrible pain. So was his head. The miracle was that he was able to lift his back off his bed. He glanced at the clock. It read 4:36. Vincent limped to his bathroom mirror, then stared at his reflection. He looked terrible. His clothes had been ruined by the fire and the fence he'd climbed. There was a huge bruise around his left eye. Beneath his eyes was a bit of faint black from lack of sleep. All he did was sigh, and get back in bed.

Two hours passed before Vincent woke again. The sun's rays were beaming through his window, making the room shine beautifully and brightly. Somehow, Vincent managed to get out of bed, change into another school uniform, and stride out of the mansion and out to the limo. The pain was still eating at Vincent, but it eased some.

Vincent stepped into the limo and didn't say a word; neither did Lenny. Lenny didn't even glance back at him once. He just kept his eyes placed on the road. Vincent watched through the window as they passed objects. Not a single sound was made except for the sound of the limo moving and other cars passing by them.

Vincent kept his head down as he walked. He could hear students whispering as he passed. Obviously, they were making comments about his black eye, but he didn't care. He was too busy thinking.

He was close to his locker when someone he passed joked, "Hey, Vince. Man, it wasn't nice leaving like that."

Vincent had his hand up to his locker and replied, "Oh, hi, Joey. Sorry I... Wait a minute!" Vincent suddenly realized what he saw and spun around. "What are you doin' here!?"

He saw Joey standing there, looking the same, except for the private school uniform he was wearing.

Joey grinned and said, "First, tell me. Why did you run off like that? You know you just gave up the chance to be famous, right?"

Vincent couldn't help but to smile at Joey's humorous comment.

Joey studied Vincent for a moment. "What happened to your eye?"

"Oh, this..." Vincent paused for a moment to come up with a excuse. "I... was mugged by a gang on my way home last night."

"WHAT!? You're lying!"

"No... it actually happened."

"W-what did they do to you!?"

"Nothing really. They just beat me up a bit to get me to hand over my cash, then left."

"Geeez! How much money did you lose?"

"None. I didn't even have my wallet with me."

"Did you see what they looked like?"

"No, it was too dark."

"Are you okay?" Joey got closer to Vincent to check for more injuries.

"I'm fine!" Vincent uneasily backed up and accidentally reversed into his locker. He yelped from pain.

"Sorry... I was just worried. Are you hurt? By that yell, you sound in pain."

"Just a busted rib."

"Those creeps! I hope they get arrested."

"No! They didn't do this to me. It got busted when I jumped out of the window with you on my back." The truth was that his uncle is the one who really broke his ribs, but he didn't want Joey to know.

"I-I'm sorry! It's all my fault. I caused you so much pain."

"Don't blame yourself. I'm the one who chose to go into the building when it was on fire. I made that choice."

"You have no idea how grateful I am! Thank you! I-I don't know how to express how much that meant to me."

"No problem." Vincent couldn't help but to blush a bit. "I was just returning a favor."

"You're a hero. Those annoying reporters bugged me over and over to give them your name and to tell them what you looked like. Man, I almost got a headache from all the strife."

_HERO!? Me!?, _Vincent thought. _How can I be? I'm useless. All I do is get in everyone's way._

"Oh, sorry 'bout that," Vincent apologized. "I didn't mean for all that to happen. Have you been breathing okay?"

"Yep, better than ever. You still haven't answered my question. Why did you run off like that?"

"I guess I was camera shy. It also might be because I was worried if my father saw that, he'd have a cow."

"Crud, you didn't want me to give them your name, did you?"

"Why? Did you?"

"Yes, your heroic rescue will be on the news soon. I think it may even be in the school paper."

"I think you're giving me more credit than I deserve. Hey, how come you're here? I thought you went to public school. Not that I have a problem with this or anything!"

"The school was completely destroyed. The school board tried to place us in another public school, but most of the public schools in this city either didn't have room or the money, so I guess we're stuck here. Your principal offered to keep us for a short while. He's not as bad as we thought."

"Rad! Y'know. About you going to the same school as me. Not because of the fire. Did anyone find out what caused the fire?"

"Turns out some idiot set the one of the bathroom's trash cans on fire. Who in their right mind would do that!? Someone could have been seriously hurt! Now our public school's reputation has gotten worse because of this trash can thing."

"Whoever did it was probably seriously on crack. It would of served him right if he got caught in the fire."

"It could have been a girl, ya know."

"Whatever! The point is, the guy who did it must have had some serious issues."

"I agree."

"I'm curious, what classes do you have?"

"Let me check." Joey fished for his schedule out of his blue backpack.

"Woah! Your bag is a lot like mine." One of the only differences between their bags was that Vincent's was red.

"Yeah, I guess it is. Got it!" Joey pulled out his schedule and flashed it to Vincent.

Vincent's eye's widened as he read it. "You have all my classes!"

"Really!? Radical!"

"Great! Now we have more trash at the school," Bruner sneered.

Vincent and Joey turned toward Bruner. Vincent felt uneasy. He still remembered what Bruner did to him a couple of days ago. Joey on the other hand, just glared at him. Vincent finally noticed Joey's glaring and couldn't believe it. Not only was Bruner scary to Vincent but he also didn't think Joey was the kind of person to glare at people.

"At least I don't stink up the place with a nasty stench," Joey insulted.

"Reality check, you stink up the place worse than a dumpster, trailer trash. I bet you can't even afford a shower."

"First of all, I live in an apartment, not a trailer. Second, I take a shower every other day. Third, you suck at insulting."

Bruner grabbed Joey by the shirt and lifted him off the floor. "Didn't your daddy teach you to chose your fights more wisely? Oh, that's right, you don't have a dad."

"SHUT UP! You don't know anything!"

"Fine, if you won't admit it, then I guess that's your problem not mine."

"Leave him alone," Vincent finally yelled without thinking.

"What did you say?" Bruner was now glaring at Vincent.

Vincent hesitated for a few moments because he didn't know what Bruner was going to do to him. It wasn't long, because having Joey around somehow gave Vincent more courage. Vincent's eyes narrowed to a scowl. "I said leave him alone. Do you have a hearing problem or are you too stupid to understand my sentence?"

Bruner released Joey and let him drop to the floor. Bruner went over to Vincent, and pushed him down. "Would you mind repeating that?"

Vincent just sat there on the floor. He didn't say a word.

Bruner just smirked. "Yeah, I thought so. Just feel lucky I have better things to do than mess with you two." Bruner walked away and didn't even bother looking back.

Joey and Vincent exchanged glances for a moment like they were reading each other's thoughts. They both made an evil grin and slowly got up. They slowly snuck up Bruner, who was standing in front of a ladder and paint pail, reading something on a piece of paper. Joey and Vincent stood there behind him and had their hands out.

They exchanged looks for a moment again as Joey timed them with his fingers. Right when Joey's finger reached zero, Vincent and Joey pulled Bruner down, causing him to fall backwards.

"Woah!" Bruner fell backwards, then his butt landed in the paint pail that had white paint.

Joey and Vincent cracked up as Bruner tried to get out of the pail.

"Wow, Bruner. You're so clumsy," Joey managed to say through his laugh.

"I suggest for you to work on your balance, bucket butt," Vincent remarked.

"YOU TWO ARE SO DEAD!" Bruner said so loudly that it caused everyone in the hall to stare in their direction.

Everyone in the hall quickly cracked up. Some people even pointed at Bruner as they laughed. A couple of Bruner's thugs (the ones that had harassed Vincent before) ran over to Bruner.

"Are ya alright, bro?" One of the thugs asked Bruner.

"Get this thing offa me!" Bruner screamed.

"Uh oh, we better run, Vince," Joey suggested before he started taking off.

"Good idea," Vincent quickly followed Joey.

Vincent looked over his shoulder for just a second, and saw Bruner and his thugs chasing them. It seemed Bruner's thugs had managed to get the bucket off of him.

"Bad news, J. The three stooges are after us," said Vincent.

"Well, I guess we have no choice but to run to homeroom," Joey said without looking at Vincent.

"GET BACK HERE!" Bruner shouted as he chased after Joey and Vincent.

Vincent and Joey laughed their heads off as they ran.

**Please excuse me for not coming up with good insults for Vincent. He was kinda nervous insulting Bruner, making it difficult. I also had trouble coming up with stuff for this chapter, so I sorta made some stuff up as I went along, so please go easy on me.**

**Don't make fun of me for making Joey and Vincent to say words like "rad." I know they're out of style, but remember, this is back when Vincent is only a teen. I don't know exactly what type of slang they used at this time.**


	10. Northsky Falls

**Author's Note: In this chapter, I'm gonna try to make it first person (in Vincent's view) because I want to see if it will helps me improve emotions, attention, and sarcasm.**

**There may be times when I switch back to the old fashion way in future chapters because of certain cases. I might just use first person in this chapter. I don't know. **

"First I'll kill you, then I'll kill you some more. Mwahahaha!" Joey said, acting like an idiot.

"Dude! That made no sense," I said as I kept my eyes on the screen.

"You mean that didn't make ANY sense," Joey corrected, as the space guy he played punched the samurai I played in the face.

"Whatever!" I quickly deflected the next punch by blocking it with my samurai's sword.

In case you don't know, Joey and I were at the arcade, playing a video game called "Fight or Die". I know what you're wondering. How did I get Lenny to let me out into the city again after what happened almost a month ago? Turns out he cooled eventually. Joey and I are now what you'd call best friends. From the first day Joey started coming to my school, we started pulling pranks on Bruner and his thugs every now and then. Actually, we mostly just pranked Bruner.

Although we're pals, I still haven't told Joey I was rich. I guess I'm just too chicken to spit it out. I haven't even invited Joey over yet even though I go over to his house hundreds of times. I didn't ask him over to my house because of my aunt and uncle's dangerous and unstable behaviour, and because Joey would find out I had lied about my name and my family's wealth. Stupid money. Stupid aunt and uncle. I can't even have a friend over because of them.

Don't tell him I said this. Joey is sorta poor. The apartment he lives in really needs some repairs, but it somehow has the feeling of security and love from a family member in it. At least to me it does. I know this sounds cheesy, but it is the truth. From my point of view, Joey is the lucky one. I would trade places with him if I could, but... I don't want him to suffer the beatings so it wouldn't really be a such good idea.

Even though I'm the one living in hell, I can't help but to feel sorry for Joey on a few things. Not long after I started chilling at his house, I found out his dad had died of cancer just a few years ago. His mother has been doing better, he says. She has a cool boyfriend, Doug. I really like him, and so does Joey. Joey actually thinks of him as a dad, even though Doug and Mrs. Allen aren't married.

I have a blast with Joey, but I'm still cautious when it comes to some public stuff. After all, I don't want my aunt and uncle to find out about me sneaking out. They actually think I'm in a bunch of clubs! And they're supposed to be geniuses! They had to cut back on some classes because I'm in these "clubs." The only reason they didn't remove me from the fake clubs is because I already told father about him. They couldn't even beat me up because the teachers would get suspicious. After the stunt Jonathon made when I was late getting home because of the fire on the school, a teacher phoned them and asked some questions. Check mate! Now they can't do that much to me. Unfortunately, I still have a busted rib. At least it's almost healed.

Father and I haven't talked that much. We've only talked three times these past three months, and most conversations are no longer than five minutes. I sometimes worry he forgets about me. One time, we didn't see or even talk to each other for three whole years! That's the ultimate record so far.

Sometimes when I'm out in the city, I "borrow" money from the family fortune bank account. It is the FAMILY account, so it's sort of my money, too, right? It isn't exactly stealing, right?

Oops! I got off track. Let's go back to when Joey and I were at the arcade.

"Hey!" Joey exclaimed.

"What?"

"You did that on purpose." Joey pressed the jump button to dodge the samurai's sword.

"It's a video game, Joey. The only rule is to win."

After a few minutes, Joey defeated me. I almost had him! Oh well, I'll get him next time. He just got lucky, that's all.

"Hey Vince, what day is it?" Joey asked as we walked out of the arcade, and down the sidewalk, which was pretty crowded because there were so many people.

"It's Tuesday, I think."

"No, I mean, what's the date?"

"September 1."

"Already?"

"Yep."

"It's nice out. It still feels like summer. Do you agree?"

"Yeah, I guess you can say that."

"Can you keep a secret?"

I didn't say a word for a moment. I thought about the question for a moment then replied, "Sure, why?"

"There's something I want to show you, but it's a secret. It's sort of a family secret."

"Really?"

"Really. So can I trust you?"

I didn't have much of a family secret to tell Joey, except that we're the well-known V family and that we're in a witness protection program. Well, maybe not in the witness protection program exactly. The government just keeps a close eye on us, is all.

"Yeah... sure."

"I'll show you right now if you'd like."

"I got nothing better to do, so why not?"

"Alright, let's go."

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"C'mon, kid. I don't got all day," the bus driver yelled.

"Please, give me a minute. It's in my pocket somewhere," Joey said as he searched his pockets.

"Joey, I thought you had some cash with you," I called out from a bus seat near the back.

"I had money I swear. Wait... shoot!"

"You spent it all at the arcade, didn't you?"

Joey remained quiet. His expression answered my question.

"I'll take that as a yes."

Joey frowned and started to stare at the floor. I let out a sigh, then got up from my seat.

"Here." I put some money in the bus fare box, then walked back to the seat I was in. Joey followed. I sat near the window while Joey sat at the right side.

"Sorry," Joey apologized as I made room for him.

"No big deal. It was my stupid idea to go in that arcade in the first place."

"Still..."

"Don't worry about it. Can you tell me more about this 'secret spot?'"

Joey grinned a sly smile. "You'll just have to see for yourself."

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Man, was that a trip. I lost count on how many bus stops we got off on. We probably should have taken the subway. When we took a bus that went clear out of the city, and in a forest area, I thought our journey would be over, but boy was I wrong.

Joey ran straight out of the bus, and headed towards the strange trees that were bundled ahead of us.

"C'mon, Vince," Joey hollered as he pushed a bush out of the way.

"Wait up!" I hollered back as I tried to keep up with him. I wish we didn't rush so much. I'm starting to run as fast as him because I'm so used to running away with Joey when Bruner is about to beat the crud out of us after we insult him or pull a prank on him. I still have trouble keeping up with him, though.

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I bet nobody has done more running than me. I ran so much from my aunt and uncle when they're about to beat me, that I probably would have broken a record. Now all this running adds another huge chunk to my total. Joey didn't stop until we reached near the bottom of the rocky peak. It looked pretty high up. It was pretty small for a peak, but I couldn't help my mouth dropping.

"We're gonna climb that!" I panicky whined.

"No, of course not. I know an easier way. Follow me." Joey ran ahead to the right side of the peak.

"Slow down." I hate it when he does this.

Up ahead, I spotted Joey standing in front of some bushes. I grew curious as I caught up with him. At first, the bushes weren't anything too special. They were, well... just bushes.

"Why'd ya stop," I asked as I bent over the plants.

"Check this out." Joey pushed down the two bushes, revealing some small hole. "Follow me." Joey started to crawl into the hole.

I stood out there for a moment, not knowing if I should crawl in that hole or stay out of it. It just looked kinda creepy. Yes, I was sort of being a wimp, but if you had been with me you probably would have agreed. I finally stopped standing there like an idiot and crawled into the hole.

The tunnel I crawled into was a bit dark, making it kinda creepy on the inside. The tunnel was so narrow and so small, it was hard for me to crawl in, but after a while I got in the hang of it. Whatever Joey was showing me, it had better be worth the run and crawling into a creepy tunnel.

Finally, I reached the end. It looked like some type of cave-like room, maybe, except there was a big hole in the ceiling with a rope ladder dangling from above.

"What took ya so long?" Joey had his arms crossed as if being impatient with me. Maybe he was. I couldn't tell for sure. "I was worried you were gonna chicken out."

"And come all this way for nothing? Yeah right."

"Glad you've came."

"You brought me all this way to show me some type of cave?"

"Of course not! What I want to show you is up this ladder."

I was quiet for a minute as I stared at that ladder in horror. It looked pretty high up, and the ladder didn't look too sturdy. I gulped then asked, "You're serious?"

"As serious as a heart attack. Are you afraid of heights or something?" Joey asked kindly. "Cause if you don't think you can do this, we can just turn back and..."

"NO! I came all this way and might as well finish what we started," I outburst without thinking. I didn't want Joey to think I was a wimp. He's a true friend, but I still had the thought of him thinking of me as a coward. I guess I wouldn't blame him.

"Good. You can go first."

How do I get myself into these messes? Ugh. After standing there for a while, I started to climb the rope ladder.

_Don't look down. Don't look down. Don't look down, _I repeated in my head over and over and over again until it bounced around in my head like a ball bouncing around a tiny room.

I kept my eyes on the top. The small shake from the ladder rocking back and forth gave me some anxiety as I made my way up. I must have been crazy to do this. I kept worrying about the ladder snapping off and collapsing with Joey and me on it. My hands and legs felt shaky as I climbed this screaming ropey death trap. At long last, I climbed out of the hole and onto some land. Sweet, sweet land. Great, now I really am a coward.

I got to my feet and gazed out ahead of me. The sight was beautiful and amazing. I actually started to be hypnotized by its beauty. There were enchanted trees that were perfectly lined up, and covered many parts of the area. A perfectly paved grey stone path lined from where I was standing, clear to the falls ahead. There were falls that ringed round a watery hole, making the bottom of the falls into a huge lake. A radiant golden light surrounded the enchanted forest, making the place glow. I couldn't figure out where this light was coming from. This place almost looked untouched by humans, except for the stone path. I can't believe no one knows about this place except for Joey and now, me.

"Glad you like it," Joey said as he pulled himself from the hole, and walked over to me.

"I can't believe this! How could no one not notice this!?" I turned my head toward him.

"Dunno, but it's better this way. It's my duty to protect this place. My dad said this spot's secret has been passed down from father to son from generation to generation, and so on. I don't want people messing it up."

"Does anyone else know about this place besides us?"

"Nope. Not even my mom. My dad was the only person who ever knew, but he's gone now. It's just you 'n me."

"Does this place have a name?"

"Yes, it's called Northsky Falls."

"That sounds like a nice name. Did your father name it?"

"No, I don't know who exactly named it. My pop died just before he was gonna tell me. I think my great, great, great grandpa named it."

"Wow, he sounds interesting."

"I don't know much about him. Some stuff about him was lost in history so I don't know much about him. I think he discovered this place while doing research on Skaths."

"Skaths?"

"I think they were extremely powerful creatures that lived on this planet since ancient history. Maybe even before Cetras."

"How much info do you have on 'Skaths?'"

"That's pretty much it. Hardly anything is known about Skaths. Hardly anyone has heard of them. If my grandfather didn't research them or if dad didn't talk about them, I probably would have never heard of them. Most people who know about the Skaths think they were extinct a long time ago or are just a myth. Since people thought my grandfather was a fool, they laughed at his research. The poor guy died being laughed at."

"I bet he was disappointed with his own research. If that happened to my father he would... too, be disappointed." I suddenly regretted what I had said. I vowed to not let father get in the way of my happiness.

"Your dad?"

I turned away from him then said, "He's... a scientist. He teaches a student I think." I quickly decided to change the subject. "So, do you mind showing me around?"

Joey was quiet for a few minutes. His face was blank. I couldn't tell what he was thinking or what he was thinking. I started to get worried so I go closer to him. "Joey?" I uneasily called out his name.

"Race you to the falls," Joey suddenly outburst as he took off running.

"Hey! You got a head start," I complained as I joined up in the race.

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I panted once I stopped in front of the great shore. I wiped sweat of my forehead, and turned around. Joey panted as he walked by me.

"I... guess... I won." My sentence was broken up from trying to breathe.

"You... just got lucky." The panting was also breaking Joey's sentences.

I finally fell backwards and lied on the sandy shore. Joey mirrored my action, and joined me on the ground. He relaxed and caught his breath. After we were finished heavily breathing, we started to laugh.

"You can act like an idiot sometimes, J. Ya know that?" I joked.

"Yeah right. You're a lot more of an idiot than I'll ever be," Joey said, returning the joke.

"Ha, you wish."

"What? You can't admit it?"

I chuckled a bit. "Whatever. Let's not let this ruin our fun, okay?"

Joey sat up and turned his head towards me. "Fine, but you'll have to face facts tomorrow anyway." Joey stood up and started to take off his shirt. I quickly jerked to a sitting position.

"W-What are you doing!?"

"I'm going swimming. What does it look like?" Joey removed his pants and was now only wearing boxers. I stared at him for a moment. He made his way to the lake, and stood there at the shallow part. The water went up to his knees. He glanced over his shoulder, then asked, "Are you comin' or not?"

Heck no I wasn't coming. I couldn't come. If I got wet my aunt and uncle would kill me. Second, I had a busted rib. Third, I have scars, cuts and bruises hidden under my shirt and pants. I couldn't show Joey that. He would suspect something, so I shook my head.

"C'mon. It's just water. It's not gonna kill ya," Joey called.

I didn't move a muscle. I just sat there like a statue. I figured Joey would take no as an answer and swim by himself, but I was wrong. Instead he walked over to me and tugged at my arm. "I promise you won't drown."

I pulled my arm away and looked away from him. I just wanted him to leave me be.

"Oh, it's about that busted rib, isn't it?"

This kind of caught me by surprise. He helped me make up an excuse without knowing it. "Yeah."

"Oh, sorry. I forgot." Joey slipped his clothes on, then sat by me like he was doing earlier. "Maybe next time."

I knew there wasn't going to be a next time. I couldn't risk it. But I still said, "Sure, maybe next time. It's a shame, really. This is probably the last day to go swimming until summer next year."

We stared ahead at the falls and the shore. The lake was a lot more like a beach then a lake once the sun set. The sky had already turned into a golden colour from it being evening. The sight was beautiful. I could almost look at the sunset forever. Not a single world was spoken for a while until Joey asked me a question that caught me by surprise.

"Vince, do you believe in God?" Joey asked without looking at me. He just kept his eyes ahead of him.

I, who was lying on the ground, quickly jerked to a sitting position again. This time, I did it so suddenly that pain shot through my busted rib. I grunted a bit, then finally recovered enough to ask.

"W-What did you say?"

"I asked if you believed in God?" This time Joey's eyes were facing me.

I didn't know what to say. I was worried about my answer. I didn't want to tell Joey I didn't believe in God, because I was worried he was a Christian. I also didn't want to say I did either.

"Well, do you?" Joey asked again.

I looked down and was silent for a bit. My body felt a bit shaky inside because I was worried about what would happen if I answered.

"To be honest... no," I said in a very low tone once I got the guts to say my answer.

"Why not?" Joey didn't sound mad. He just seemed a tiny bit shocked.

"I don't know. I-I... I guess it's because of some stuff."

"What kind of stuff?"

"Well, there are some things that really bother me. If there is a God, then why do we have so much suffering in the world? Why does he leave people hanging when they're in trouble even if they are his followers?"

There were more questions I wanted to ask, but I just couldn't. _Why didn't God save me from the demons I have to live with? Why didn't he protect my family? Why does he let me suffer with this much pain?_

Joey was quiet for a few minutes. Maybe he was thinking about the question. Maybe my question left him speechless.

"God sometimes helps us. We just may not realize it," Joey finally said. "After all, he does bless us in some ways. He blesses us with things like family, friendship, and other great joys in our life."

He should speak for himself. The only thing I had out of what he said was friendship, and only friendship. I have low self-esteem. I don't even have much of a family. I have hardly anything.

"I'm sorry. I just can't believe. I just can't. What sometimes scares me is what is goin' to happen to us when we die?"

"I guess I can't make you believe. I shouldn't force this on you. Look, wherever we're going when we die, we're going together, got it?" He put his hand out toward me, waiting for me to shake with him

A small grin formed on my face. "Got it." I grabbed his hand and we shook.

"Promise?" He asked with our hands still held together.

"Promise." I released my grip and pulled my hand over to my side.

"I want you to make one more promise."

"What is it?"

"Promise me we'll be friends forever. Our friendship is to be never broken. Nothing is to get in our way. Not even growing up. If we can't physically be together then we'll be together in spirit. Our hearts will be connected no matter how far we are apart. We can't let ANYTHING destroy our friendship. Got it?"

"Yeah, friends to the end."

"No... forever."

Joey was quiet for a few minutes. "One more promise."

"Again with the promises?" I sarcastically questioned in a gentle tone.

"Please, this is one of the most important promise."

"Okay, sorry. What else do you want me to promise?"

"Don't change the way you are. No matter how old you get."

"Joey, I'm gonna change when I'm older. You know that."

"Why should you change? You're fine the way you are. I don't want you to change."

_Does he really mean it? I don't understand. How could he like someone like me? He does want me to change!? But... I'm a nobody._

"I promise."

"Don't turn into a person who is cruel to others. Always help those in need. Don't let tragic events in life get to you. Make sure you move on when something bad happens. Promise me!"

"Okay."

I glanced ahead of me and saw that the sun had lowered a bit since I last glanced at it. I glanced back at Joey then asked, "What do you want to be when you grow up?"

"I want to be an inventor," Joey cheerfully replied. "I want my inventions to help people in the world. Maybe some of my robots can assist handicapped people. What do you want to be?"

I didn't know what I wanted to be. I was so used to my future being chosen by my family, I haven't got to put much thought into it. "I don't know yet. I would like to travel to new places, though. It would be nice to use this pleasure to give some people a hand. See what I'm saying?"

"Travelling, huh?" Joey grinned like he always does when he's about to crack a joke. "That would be nice. I'll be going with you."

"What?" I didn't think I'd heard him correctly.

"I said I'm going with you. Even if you have to stuff me in your suitcase and carry me along, I'm not leaving you."

I held in my laughter, trying not to encourage him. "C'mon, Joey. How am I gonna fit you?"

"That's what we need to figure out." Joey crossed his arms on his chest then smiled.

"There's one more thing I want to show you."

"What is it?"

Joey stood up and started walking ahead. "You'll just have to follow me and see."

I jumped to my feet and ran after him, "Hey, wait up!"

**Sorry if some stuff in this chapter was chessy. I wanted to just get it done. I'm almost to the part of the fanfic where it gets really interesting and I will do better once I get to exciting parts. Let me warn you, later on in this fanfic, it will get more violent and graphic. It won't have much blood in it or anything for a while but I just wanted to warn you. I hope you enjoyed this fanfic. Sorry if there are some mistake in this chapter. I was to lazy to finish checking for mistakes. If you want, you can correct throught you reviews so I can correct a word later, but go easy on me. Please review. **


	11. The Cave

"I don't know, Joey," I admitted to Joey. "Are you sure it's safe to walk here?"

"Sure as pie," Joey assured.

Joey and I carefully watched our steps on the stone path that was beneath a waterfall. I didn't like walking there. The path was a bit above the lake and I was worried about it crumbling beneath us. Maybe I was just being paranoid. Maybe I was being a wimp. Either way, I didn't like this.

"I don't like this." I kept my eyes on the ground to make sure the path wasn't crumbling.

"Relax. I walked on this path for years and nothing happened. Heck, maybe even my grandfathers walked on this path. If it didn't fall back then, then I doubt it'll do it now."

"Okay, but if something bad happens, it'll be all your fault."

"You always have to have someone to blame, don't you?" Joey joked.

I smacked Joey on the back of the head, then put my eyes back ahead of me. Joey only laughed at what I did. I didn't hit him too hard, but maybe I should have. It might have knocked some sense into him. Then again, it might have just made him stupider. It probably was a good thing I didn't hit him too hard after all.

For a while, we didn't say anything. Joey didn't take his glance off ahead of us, while I, on the other hand, looked above us. I could see the falls pouring near the path. It didn't touch the path, but it was close enough to have a close view of it. You might say it was just far enough to not touch the path. The relaxing sound of rushing water gave me a calm feeling. There was a fading rainbow that was sparkling in the water from the sunlight glimmering through it. It sparkled like pixie dust you might see in a fairy tale.

I looked in all directions around me except one direction. Down the edge of the path. I didn't dare look there. I didn't know exactly how high we were up, and I didn't want to find out.

After a long moment of silence Joey, led me to a cave that was dug into the stone wall next to us, which was in the opposite direction of the falls. It was a bit dark, but I could see a little of light.

"Here we are," Joey announced.

I reversed a few steps away from the cave entrance. I was about to turn around and walk away when I felt hands push against my back, causing me to tumble forward and into the cave. I should have seen that coming, knowing how Joey is. I did some somersaults before I finally stopped falling. I rubbed my head for a few seconds then got to my feet. I glared at Joey who had just entered the cave.

"What? Didn't you enjoy that ride?" Joey walked over to me with his hands crossed on his chest. I hated his sly smile. It only fuelled my anger.

"You're an idiot who needs to push someone to get kicks," I sneered at him.

Joey just kept grinning like I had complimented him. "How else was I supposed to get you in here?"

I was about to tell him off when I noticed some glowing symbols. The cave looked almost spotless, except for a few busted rocks that were lined against the wall. Strange symbols were written on the ceiling and on the walls. The markings glowed bright blue like radioactive chemicals, except this glowing had more beauty. There was also some type of a mystic painting up on the ceiling. It looked like a strange, enchanted castle. The castle looked bluish-silver in the blue light. It seemed to be hovering off the ground in the picture, with clouds surrounding the bottom of it. It might have been many feet in the sky. I couldn't tell for sure.

"Wow! Who made this painting!? I-I've never seen anything like it!" I exclaimed as I kept gazing at the picture.

Joey went over to me and joined in on gazing at the picture. "Skaths...maybe. I don't know if my great, great, great grandfather knew about this place. My pops and I... well, mostly I found it many years ago, way before pops died. A lot of my past is here, ya know? I love this entire area. Northsky Falls and everything in the area is like a book that has my past written in it. Ya know what I'm saying?" Joey's eyes lit up as he faced me.

"Yeah, I understand."

"Here, let me show you something." Joey headed for the back of the cave and disappeared into the darkness.

I guessed that was my cue to follow him so I went after him. The first thing I saw was a huge stone blocking the entrance to something at the end. I went up to the stone and studied it. It wasn't anything too special except that it was pretty huge, but it wasn't that much taller than me.

"Over here." I could hear Joey call behind me.

I turned around and saw Joey standing halfway in the entrance of a room I hadn't noticed. He quickly went back into the room to wait for me. I glanced back at the huge stone before I went over to the room. As I entered, I could see Joey bending over something near a wall. The room was like the one we were in earlier, except that instead of glowing symbols, it had a bunch of manmade pictures that could have been made by scratching a rock on the surface. The only thing lighting the room was the light coming out of a small hole in the ceiling. I saw all kinds off pictures: planes, the shore (whoever did it made it pretty well), and many other things. There were some pictures I couldn't make out.

I advanced to Joey and took a look at what he was gazing at. I saw a picture of a man, WELL drawn, on the wall. It must have been hard to do.

"Joey?" I saw Joey still staring at the picture. He looked pretty upset.

"My dad made this," Joey said so low I barely was able to hear him.

I didn't say a word. He sounded like he was going to cry, maybe. I patiently waited for him to finish talking.

"This is a picture of himself," Joey continued. "One day, we were gonna come here so he could do a drawing of me, but he got sick and..."

I waited for him to continue for a few moments.

"I would have tried to draw a picture of me by myself... but I'm not good at drawing. I was worried I would waste some space on the wall if I tried. I miss him!"

A tear dripped down Joey's check. He shook a bit as he held in his sobs. I couldn't stand the sight.

I put my hand on Joey's shoulder and said, "I understand... what it's like to lose a father."

Joey looked up at me with more tears in his eyes. "Did he die, too?"

I hesitated. I didn't know if I wanted to talk much about it because I was embarrassed of my family and most of all, myself. "Something like that. I'm sure your father is proud of you. My father always said life goes around like a circle. You'll see him again one day. You have my word on it."

Joey wiped some of his tears then smirked. "Thanks, I needed that." He wiped a couple of more tears that came down. "Man, I'm such a big baby."

"Don't feel bad. I know what it's like to not see my father for a long time."

_Just feel lucky he loves you. I can only hope my father loves me. Does he love me?_

Joey's sobs quickly stopped. His tears stopped pouring down his cheeks.

"Thanks, Vince," Joey wiped away the rest of his tears.

"It's the least I can do."

"There's one more thing I want to show you before we leave."

I looked at him with a questioning look, wondering what he was up to. He got up and left the room with me following closely behind. He led me to the huge stone I was staring at earlier.

"This is blocking an entrance," Joey explained. "I don't know what's behind it. I tried to move it thousands of times but no success. My pops didn't waste much of his time on it because he was often sick and normally didn't have the strength to help. I've been dying to see what's behind it!"

"Let me guess, you want me to help you move this rock, right?"

"If you want, but I doubt even with your help, the stone will budge."

"Well, we'll just have to try and see, won't we?"

Joey sighed then said, "Okay, but don't expect any miracles."

Before I knew it, we were pulling at the stone with all our strength. My muscles strained as I struggled with the stone, but I kept pulling anyway. Sweating wasn't helping much either. By Joey's grunts from struggling, I could tell he was having trouble pulling it. I was too busy to look directly at him so I couldn't exactly tell how well he was doing.

Joey was the first to give up. He released his hand off the stone then heavily panted. He waited for me to give up as well, but I don't give up as easily. I kept pulling, pulling, and pulling until I finally gave up. I soon joined in with the panting.

"Dang, we couldn't even budge it," Joey complained. "I knew we couldn't move it by ourselves."

After I caught enough breath to talk again, I said, "I think we were able to budge it by a centimetre."

"Never mind the stone, let's go. Maybe we can move it when we're older and we get stronger."

"Alright."

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The bus was overcrowded and I didn't want be jumping from bus stop to bus stop like we did last time, so we took the subway instead. Yes, I had to pay for Joey, too. We started to yap as the subway started to take us to our destination.

"Remember, you're one of Northsky Falls guardians now," Joey claimed.

"We're the only guardians, right?" I questioned as I took my eyes off the subway window and directed them at Joey.

"Well, duh! Didn't I say we're the ONLY ones who know about it."

"Okay, I get it. I was just checkin'."

Joey pulled some type of small poster from his pocket and gazed at it. Its background was light blue, and had something on it. I was curious and couldn't help but to look over his shoulder. On the top half of the poster, SODIER members were in a battle stance, while the bottom half had Turks in a different fighting stance with each Turk aiming their gun in a different direction.

Joey must have somehow had a feeling I was looking at it or I might have accidentally breathed on his neck, because he hid the poster to his left side (opposite direction from me), then looked at me. He just stared at me for a short while. I couldn't tell if he was mad or embarrassed. His expression was pretty blank. He flashed the poster in front of me then pointed to the poster.

"These guys look amazing, don't they?"

I was quiet because I was unsure of what to say. To be honest, I didn't care much about them. "I honestly can't say. I just don't like them too much. I think Shinra Company is kinda shady. There seems to be something wrong with them, but I can't put my finger on it."

"Oh, c'mon, Vince. Shinra is just giving power to Midgar."

"With the Lifestream! I'm sorry. SOLDIER and Turks sound like a bunch of hot shots to me. SOLDIER looks a bit creepy, while Turks think they're all big and bad all because they have a right to shoot people!"

"I guess you're right, but don't you think we should at least get a job at Shinra when we graduate? Turks 'n SOLDIER get to travel to places and help some people."

"They care more about the company than helping people."

"Don't worry. I'm more interested in being a Shinra scientist."

Those two S words made me explode inside, but I managed to control my temper enough to not totally lose it. "Don't you ever say Shinra scientist again!" I commanded. I didn't want to think about my father. I didn't want him to ruin my happiness.

"Why?" Joey asked.

"Because." I looked away from him to hide my depressed face.

"Why not?"

"Because," I said softer.

"I don't see why..."

"IT'S NONE OF YOU BUSINESS, OKAY!!!???"

This made a huge scene. Everyone on the subway was staring at me like I was a criminal. With the corner of my eye, I could see that I had badly startled Joey. I think I might have even made him jump.

Joey looked away from me and kept his eyes off of me. I mirrored this action and didn't look at him. We didn't say a word. Eventually the whispering around us about me yelling and the staring faded. Our eyes never made contact. I just wanted to think this through. I just wanted to move on with my life even if it meant not talking about a single thing that reminded me of father.

**Sorry this chapter was boring and it was short. I really didn't want to write it because it bored me. I shouldn't of made Joey show Vincent that cave because it probably wasted time. Sorry if this wasted your time. Things will soon get interesting. Just be patient with me. I might be able to add some zing in the next chapter or the chapter after that. I also apologize for taking so long. I have gym at last peroid now, and I'm ususally to tired to type fanfics after school. **


	12. Luesa

**Author's Note: I'm gonna change Vincent's original hometown from Eltaro to Kalm because be doing so research, it is more likely Vincent originially lived in Kalm. I'm talking about the home in the first chapter where Vincent's family was killed, not the place he lives now. I like Tech City too much to change it.**

"Idiot!" Vernica shouted.

I tried to copy the keys again, but Vernica whacked my hand with some... stick thing. Is that a paddle?

"You're useless! How are you going to take care of the family business if you can barely take care of yourself?"

This is one of the reasons why I hate piano lessons. What's the point of this lesson? I'm not going to be a musician or anything. If they're so concerned about me being ready to take care of the family business, then why are they wasting their time teaching me to do something that won't help with my chosen future in any way? I may never know.

We didn't pay attention to the doorbell ringing because there's a guy that answers it. It's a real shame. If I had to get it, it would be my chance to get a break. A guy can only dream.

"You're off tune, you twit!"

"Ouch!"

Vernica slapped me on the back of my head. She's quite a #$$. Ugh!

The butler (I think that's the guy who answers the door) walked in the room and up to Jonathon, who was leaning on the wall in the corner watching me.

"There's someone at the door who wants to see you, sir," the butler informed Jonathon.

"What now? Is it important?" Jonathon rudely asked.

"I think so."

"Ugh! How is it important?" Jonathon obviously wasn't in the mood for this.

"Is he comin' or not?" The voice of an impatient young woman could be heard. She must be the visitor.

Jonathon snorted then headed for the door. Vernica quickly followed him, giving me the chance to get some rest. The butler was gone in a split second. I was curious about whoever was visiting, so I got up from the piano seat and crept outside the music room. Jonathon and Vernica didn't even notice me following them. Thank goodness! They made a turn in the middle of the hallway and headed for the front door that was already open.

A young female, probably only in her early or mid twenties was standing outside of the open door. As Jonathon approached her, Vernica stayed a little farther from the door, while I peeked over the side of the doorway.

I studied the young woman's features. She had long, straight, bright blond hair, was skinny but not too slim, and she was wearing black leather pants with an unbuttoned leather jacket, and a silver coloured shirt underneath the jacket, which showed part of her stomach. She was also wearing stylish sunglasses. I had to admit they were rad and that she was pretty.

"Hello there. I'm Jonathon Valentine," Jonathon introduced as he walked up to her. "And you are?"

"Save it!" she commanded sharply. She flashed a clipboard I hadn't noticed she was carrying. "I'm here on business!" Her voice was sharp like a cop's.

"Uhh...what brings you were?" Jonathon stammered as he tried to sound polite.

I wished I could see his face. His voice sounded a bit uneasy.

"I'm Luesa Cruser, social worker and detective." She flashed her two badges she got out of her pocket with one hand then stuffed the badges back in her pocket. "You should know why I'm here." She slid her glasses down a bit to reveal sharp blue eyes. Even her eyes were pretty. There was just one problem. She looked more like a biker chick then a social worker or detective. I didn't mind this. I actually found it amusing and interesting.

Jonathon stretched his arm out to the doorway, trying to keep Luesa out. He hesitated for a moment then calmed, "What seems to be the problem? I can assure you everything is fine here."

"Suuurrrre," Luesa sarcastically remarked. "I don't like that look in you eye." Luesa's eyes narrowed some more as she said this.

"W-what look?" Jonathon stammered.

"Never mind."

They stared at each other for a minute. Even though I was far away from the door, I could see her eyes scowling at Uncle.

"Well?" Luesa now had the clipboard up to her chest. She tapped her foot impatiently.

"Well what?"

"Are ya gonna let me in?" She glared at Jonathon's arm, which was still stretched out to the side of the door, blocking her.

"This really isn't a..."

Before Jonathon could finish his sentence, Luesa pushed him out of her way then shouted, "Outta my way!" She walked inside like she owned the place. Luesa almost caused Jonathon to land flat on his face from pushing him, but he managed to regain his balance by grabbing the side of the door.

Vernica was just standing there shocked. She wasn't too far away, so I could see her expression very clearly. I was shocked myself. I didn't know which shocked me most. The big, bad, strong Jonathon being pushed around by Luesa even though he was older and bigger than her, or the loud mouth, bossy Vernica watching a younger woman walk into her home without permission. Luesa kept her eyes on the clipboard as she walked until she stopped beside Vernica.

She turned her head towards my aunt then asked, "His father is reported alive while I see you two goofs watching him. Where is he and why did he leave his only kid to you two?"

I swear Vernica was going to freak out. I had never seen her this scared of anyone before. She finally gained enough courage to answer. "His father still has custody of him, but he's away a lot on business. Jonathon and I are often caring for our dear Vincent."

DEAR! VINCENT! I never heard her use those words about me since before most of my family got killed. Let alone in the same sentence. She normally doesn't even call me by my real name. She would usually call me stuff like retarded or things like twit, reject, and even some cuss words.

"Uh huh," Luesa put her eyes on the clipboard to look for something. "Are you the family who was hidden by the government after that one incident in Kalm?"

"Yes, we've been through a lot, especially poor Vinny."

She was using two words I had never thought she would use in the same sentence again.

"Uh huh," Luesa wrote something in her clipboard as she said this. Luesa didn't sound convinced at all. "If everything is so dandy, then you wouldn't mind if I interviewed Vincent and had a look around the mansion. Right?" Luesa looked at Vernica with an "I'm not convinced and I'm gonna look around the mansion for evidence so I can throw you in jail" look. Vernica had a blank look (probably trying to look calm), while Jonathon stood behind her and kept glaring. For a moment, I was worried he had spotted me, but I later realized he was just glaring at Luesa. He still didn't know I was there. Maybe they did, but they probably didn't say anything because I was the least of their concerns right now. Then again, when was I ever their concern?

"Go ahead," Jonathon said without looking at her.

"Good, now we can finally get started. First, Vincent." She looked in my direction. I was both scared and comforted. I was comforted because her unpleased look turned into a friendly face, and I had a feeling she might finally free me from this pain. I was scared because I could see Jonathon glaring at me, and I was worried that if Luesa found evidence, then what? Would I get left here until she or another detective could do more investigating? Would the judge, cops, or any authority figure believe me?

Luesa went over to me, then flipped a few pages through the clipboard. "How about we go somewhere private to talk?"

I didn't know what to say. For years, I hoped for someone to come and save me, but now that I finally got what I wanted, I was too scared to talk. It went to show that even when I was not getting beaten or if I was around an authoritarian figure, Jonathon and Vernica still had control over me somehow. It was as if invisible puppet strings were attached to almost every place in my body, including my mouth, and Vernica and Jonathon had a hold of these strings. They somehow sealed my mouth shut.

"Vincent? Are you ready?"

I didn't know what I should do. Maybe if Vernica and Jonathon hadn't been in the room, I probably would have been able to reply a lot easier. I glanced over at Jonathon, to find him nodding. Was he nodding, telling me to go with her? Yes, that must have been it. If I refused, she might have gotten suspicious. Then again, I kind of wanted her to get suspicious so I could get out of all this. They hadn't been doing that much to me lately, but I didn't want to take the chance of it fading. Once they had the courage to beat me again, they'd make it ten times worse when the time was right.

"Vincent?" Luesa kept calling my name.

"Huh? What?"

"I said are you ready?"

"Oh...sure."

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"Let's begin," Luesa closed the library door behind her. "Shall we?" She walked up to me and motioned for me to sit down.

I pulled out a chair I found under a desk, and took a seat.

"Okay, let's begin." Luesa looked prettier up close.

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I didn't know how long she'd been asking me these questions. I was starting to get nervous. She asked me a LOT of questions. She even asked the same questions, but in a more complex way. I can't explain it that well.

It was hard for me to keep my trap shut because the truth was starting to really bother me. I felt like a criminal being questioned by a cop. The truth bounced around my body as if searching for a way out, but I still managed to lie.

"Okay, we're done for now." Luesa finished writing in her clipboard then headed for the door.

"Aren't you a bit young to be a social worker?" I knew it was a stupid question, but I was just curious.

"Why? Is it a problem?" Luesa blankly asked without looking at me.

"No! No. I was just wondering."

"Alright. Are you sure you don't have anything to tell me?"

"Yeah, I'm sure." I kept my eyes on the floor so I wouldn't make my lying too obvious.

Luesa left the library and closed the wooden door behind her. I wondered what she was up to, so got up and trooped to the door, and started to slowly open the door just a crack to keep the door from creaking. I could see Vernica, Jonathon, and Luesa standing near the gigantic stairs.

"This is just a misunderstanding," Vernica falsely assured.

"I don't believe you. You two dopes look mighty suspicious to me," Luesa sharply informed.

"The law says we're innocent until proven guilty," Jonathon explained. "You don't even have any evidence of child abuse."

"First of all, in MY EYES you're both guilty until proven innocent," Luesa began. "I play by my own rules and get stuff done my way as long as it's legal. Second, you were acting suspicious about me coming in, as if you didn't want me to enter." Luesa started to look annoyed. Although I couldn't see the expression on her eyes, I could tell by her voice, and by the way she had one hand on her hips and the other holding the clipboard. "What's wrong? Are you afraid I'll find something embarrassing or threatening that you don't want me to see?"

"I just felt a bit embarrassed about you seeing how terrible the mansion looks."

"So does your hair, clothes, and face, but those don't seem to bother me too much."

I had to restrain myself from laughing. Vernica put her hand on her mouth so she wouldn't crack up.

"That goes for your marshmallow hair, too," Luesa teased while glancing at Vernica.

It was now Jonathon's turn to laugh, but instead he just grinned. In case you didn't get Luesa's insult, she said it because Vernica's hair was kind of puffy. She probably was the first person to ever call Vernica something like that. If I called her anything like Puff Ball or even said her hair was puffy, I wouldn't live to tell the tale.

"Now then, aren't you gonna show me around the mansion?" Luesa questioned. She still didn't sound friendly to them.

"Sure. I'll show you around." Jonathon walked ahead to lead Luesa around. Vernica and Luesa followed closely behind.

I had a feeling something like this was gonna happen. You're wondering why, aren't you? Here's how it started. For a while, teachers started getting a bit suspicious about me. They even asked me questions like, "Are things at home okay?" and stuff like that. The only reason they didn't get mighty suspicious for a while was because whenever Uncle beat me, he would normally bruise me in places where nobody would notice. He had many places he could damage because my school uniform is long sleeved and the pants are so long they reach clear down to my ankles, so most places were open for Jonathon to whack.

Last week, Jonathon went a bit crazy because I was late getting home. It was the day Joey showed me Northsky Falls. No, I didn't blame Joey. Nothing probably would have kept Jonathon from going a bit psycho on me because he was drunk out of his mind. Luckily, the only thing Vernica had had was a bit of wine so I didn't have to worry about her too much, although she was really being verbally abusive.

Don't worry, he didn't do anything permanent. He mostly just thrashed me. Okay, that sounds bad, but trust me. It's better than it sounds. He used to beat me a LOT worse. He hasn't done it since a month or two before I started school. I still can't figure out why he has backed off. He left a bunch of bruises all over my body. He was careless enough to bruise one of my cheeks.

I was worried he was going to knock out a tooth. I already lost all my baby teeth, and I don't want to lose my wisdom teeth. I would look like a hockey player. I lost almost all my teeth from Jonathon pulling them. Sometimes he would pull them out because I kept messing with it (I was only a kid, so what did ya expect?), I complained about it hurting (I learned not to complain about it to my aunt or uncle the hard way), and they sometimes just did it for punishment. They sometimes would pull it out even when it wasn't loose at all! Jonathon sometimes punched them out of me. My cries of pain only made things worse.

The day after I was shown Northsky Falls, my math teacher, Mrs. Rubert, asked me to stay after class. She asked about my bruise, and I just lied that I bumped it earlier that morning while I was getting up.

I seriously doubt that's the REAL reason Luesa's here. Something else happened. It was only yesterday.

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**Flashback**

"Thanks a lot, Joey! Why didn't you tell me we had gym!?" I demanded as I entered the gymnasium.

I was in a terrible mood because I had arrived in computer class to find that everyone was at PE. Because of this, I was almost late. Instead of his school uniform, Joey was dressed in a sleeveless white shirt and blue shorts that had a white line decorated on the side vertically.

"What are you wearing?" I looked at Joey wide-eyed. I thought we weren't supposed to wear anything at school besides our uniform.

"I should be asking you the same thing."

"What are you..." I was cut off by a bald, old guy entering the room. He had a gym outfit on with a whistle hanging around his neck. Obviously, he was the PE teacher.

The PE teacher blew his whistle. Everyone started to line up. Joey grabbed me by my arm to lead me to the line. The room that was once loud and noisy was now quiet and silent. The teacher started to walk past us with a clipboard like a cop analyzing suspects of a crime. He kind of creeped me out. He didn't look too friendly. I had a feeling I wouldn't like him. Maybe it was because his eyes reminded me of my uncle.

Nothing serious happened at first, but then it happened. Just when I was starting to feel calmer, he stopped in front of me, then faced me. His glare made me nervous.

_Oh man! What did I do now?_

"Why aren't you dressed out?" The PE teacher's voice was harsh.

I was now scared. Usually when things like this happened, I would get beaten any minute, so I didn't know what to expect.

"I-I..." I didn't finish me sentence because I didn't have much of an answer.

"Did you forget?"

"N-no... yes... sort of. I didn't know, uhhh..."

"Mr. See. Where were you the past three years of middle school? What did you do? Skip out."

"N-no, Mr. See!" I stammered. "I was home schooled. I never had PE before."

Mr. See was quiet for a few minutes. I couldn't tell if he was mad or unsure of my answer. I was soon about to find out.

"Alright, I'll let it slide this time. There are spare gym clothes in my office."

"B-but, but..."

"What's wrong now?" Mr. See was starting to get impatient with me.

I heard someone snicker, then glanced in the direction of whoever snickered. I wasn't surprised to find Bruner making fun of me.

"Change now!" Mr. See commanded. "You have five minutes." Mr. See started to look at his watch.

"But..."

"Four minutes and fifty-two seconds."

I had no choice. I ran straight at the office. I sped like I was being shot out of the cannon. Other students laughed at me as I made this run.

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"C'mon! We don't have all day!" Mr. See shouted.

I didn't want to come out. I was panicking inside.

"Do you want me to drag you outta there!?" Mr. See yelled some more.

"No!"

"Then come out!"

I still didn't move. I just couldn't.

"Fine, if you want it that way... Bruner!"

Bruner went in on cue and started heading for me. Before I could think about my actions, I ran out of the locker room and headed for Joey. I lined up back beside him, and tried to stand up straight.

Bruner was about to go back in his place in line, when he started staring at me.

"HOLY #$$!" Bruner shouted.

All eyes were on me now. The class, Mr. See, and even Joey stared at me. I knew what they were staring at. It's the reason I didn't want to come out. They were staring at the scars, scratches, bruises, and everything else that was on my legs and arms. I trembled a bit. I didn't know what was going to happen. I could barely move because of all this fear. Mr. See was silent for a while.

After a while, he finally said with a shaky voice, "L-let's start out with push ups."

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I did well in PE. In fact, Mr. See said I was one of the best students he had. If it weren't for everyone's staring, silence, and talking behind my back, I would have enjoyed beating Bruner at basketball easily with Joey.

Mr. See never asked me anything. He must have known I would lie, so he probably got Luesa instead.

"See, nothing wrong," Jonathon assured Luesa as he followed her down the stairs.

I watched from the hallway as Luesa headed for the door with Jonathon following her closely behind. Vernica stayed at the staircase. Luesa stopped in front of the door for a moment.

"I'm not buying it," Luesa said without looking at Jonathon. "I bet Vincent has evidence written all over him, but I don't wanna invade his privacy without his okay. He seems to be too scared to open up to me. I don't know what you did to him, but whatever it was, you're not getting away with it. From now on, I'm gonna visit you guys frequently to assure Vincent's safety. One of these days, I'll catch you. Just consider it a friendly visit, except for the part of me throwing you two in jail when I get enough evidence."

"You really shouldn't accuse someone of a crime without evidence," Jonathon scolded.

"You should be worrying more about yourselves. I follow my instinct, and it's never failed me yet. Remember, I will visit when I choose. I won't tell you when I'll come because I don't want to give you two preps the chance to hide evidence before I arrive, so don't bother asking!" Luesa exited the mansion with style. I love the way she walks. No! I don't have a crush on her! She's like ten years older than me!

I ran to the front window and watched Luesa speed away in her red motorcycle. She was a biker chick after all!

After she disappeared on a turn, I remembered my uncle and aunt, and expected to get hit and/or yelled at.

Instead, Uncle just walked to Vernica and whispered, "Are my clothes and hair really terrible?"

They didn't say a word to me the rest of the day. They even fed me a full and warm dinner. That's pretty rare! I usually didn't get fed that much, and my food usually had some things like rotting parts or mould or worse. I liked Luesa already. I couldn't wait for another visit.

**I'm really close to where things get dramatic. It's gonna start in the next chapter or the chapter after that, so be patient with me. Sorry if this chapter or any chapters weren't good or interesting. I'm also sorry for mistakes. I was in a hurry and didn't bother rereading because I'm eager to get to the dramatic parts.**


	13. Vampire Biker

"How come we always go to my house, but never your's?" Joey asked.

Joey and I were just coming back from school and heading to his house. Joey talked me into taking a shortcut through the neighbourhood I secretly lived in.

The streets were tidy and well organized. The houses were huge and had a variety of colours: white, tan, blue, and there was even a purple one. The streets were perfectly paved, as usual. The only mess this place had was fallen leaves that covered the ground. The leaves were of all kinds of shapes and sizes. They coloured the ground with yellow, orange, red, brown, and a few shades of purple.

The fragrance of autumn filled the air. The smell of leaves was easily detectable. The temperature was really warm, but a little cold, too. October was obviously here.

"C'mon, Vince! Why don't you let me come over?" Joey demanded.

I tried to ignore him and kept walking.

"Is there something wrong at your house?" Joey asked with worry in his voice.

"No! It's not that!" I quickly responded.

"Then what is it?"

"I... I'm just embarrassed about my family, is all."

Joey was silent for a few minutes.

"My family is kinda wacky. I bet I've seen worse. I doubt they're THAT embarrassing. It's sorta a relative's job to embarrass the other."

"Y-you just don't understand," I shouted.

"Hey, Vincent. Do you mind if we talk for a minute?"

I turned my head in the direction of the voice. I saw Luesa coming out of a garage. She was wearing a white, strapped shirt and oak coloured pants. The shirt was badly wrinkled and filthy like she had just done a messy job. By the bit of oil on her shirt, she must have been working on a vehicle. The pants had some tears and holes in it, for style maybe. Her hair was in a messy ponytail. A small bit of her hair was out of place.

She started to walk up to Joey and I. I hadn't seen her for a month.

"When did you score a hot chick like that!?" Joey whispered to me. "I didn't know you like older women."

I immediately elbowed Joey in the ribs.

"Ouch!" Joey yelped.

"Serves you right."

"Vincent?"

I looked in front of me and saw Luesa was standing there with her hands on her hips.

"Sure." This was all I said. I didn't have much to say.

"Is this your friend?"

"Yes."

"Why does she call you Vincent?" Joey questioned. "Oh, Vince is short for Vincent."

"No! My aunt likes to call me Vincent."

"What are you..."

Luesa trailed off when interrupted. "Joey, this is my aunt, Luesa."

Luesa stared at me for a moment, clueless. Her expression changed from confused to understanding.

"Would you two like to come in?"

Joey and I nodded.

"Alright, I'll lead you in."

Luesa and I let Joey go ahead for a few moments so we could talk.

"To make a long story short, I didn't tell anyone my real name or that I was wealthy because I don't want people liking me for what I had," I explained.

"That explains it. It's dangerous for you to be out in the open like this. I thought you and your family were put under protection of the government."

"I know but..."

"C'mon guys. Aren't you coming?" Joey called from the house's front steps.

"I'll explain later," I whispered to Luesa.

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"Ya boys want one?" Luesa set a plate of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies on the table Joey and I sat in. Luesa's kitchen was pretty nice. The floor had green and blue tiles. The fridge was white and covered with pictures, lists, schedules, and a few sheets of coupons. The sink was a bit soaked from recently done dishes. The counters weren't too bad, but had some scratches on them, probably from the knives people use to cut vegetables. The table had a few papers in the middle. They looked like the kind you might see in office buildings. It probably was either bills or papers Luesa had to do for work.

"Yeah, thanks." Joey grabbed a cookie and took a huge bite out of it.

"No offence, but you look like a bit of a mess," I admitted. "What have ya been up to?"

"Oh, this?" Luesa grabbed a bit of her shirt as if closely studying it. She then released her shirt and continued. "I was just fixing my bike. She's been having a bit of trouble. Don't worry, she's fixed and purrin' like a kitten."

All of the sudden, Joey uneasily moved around on the chair.

"Where's the bathroom?" Joey desperately asked, as he kept moving around. His movements were getting more and more shakier by the second.

"Up the stairs and at the end of the hall to the left," Luesa pointed to the living room, where the stairs were.

"Thanks!" Joey was gone in a second. I swear he might have even left dust behind, like in the cartoons, when a cartoons character dashes off somewhere.

I just rolled my eyes at the scene. Joey can be such a little kid at times.

"While he's gone, do you mind answering a few of my questions?" Luesa asked.

"Sure, but please make it quick. I don't want Joey to hear."

"Does your aunt or uncle know about you goin' out to the city?"

"No, I sneak out. If they knew, they would keep me from leaving."

Luesa nodded, showing understanding. "Why would they keep you from leaving? Is there something I need to know about?"

"No! It's nothing like that. They just... worry 'bout me too much." The last sentence was broken up from my clenched teeth. This was a foolish move because it showed I was lying.

Luesa looked at me with an unconvinced look. She must have noticed how my teeth grinded together. "I know this is probably none of my business but, isn't it dangerous for you to be out by yourself like this? I heard those soldiers might be still looking for you guys."

"I'm not letting those psychos ruin my life further than they already have," I sharply declared.

Luesa was quiet for a few minutes. She put her elbows on the table, and rested her chin on her hands as if observing me. Maybe she was. I don't know.

"If your uncle or aunt are harming you, I need to know now before it's too late. I need your help too."

I didn't say a word. I just let her keep talking.

"I need evidence before I can take it to court. I REALLY need you to be honest. I might need to examine your scars and..."

"I'm back!" Joey skipped to a chair between Luesa and me and took a seat. I swear, he looked like a dork when he skipped like that. In fact, it almost made me laugh, but I managed to contain myself.

"Sooo, what did I miss?"

Luesa and I didn't say a word at first, then I managed to get a sentence out. "Nothing special."

Joey grinned and snagged another cookie. He was going to become a diabetic if he didn't stop eating so many sweets. Luesa sighed and just stared at me until we could hear the sound of a motorcycle.

Joey and I started to get scared when she started to look... well... scary. Her calm expression quickly twisted in anger. We wondered what was up so Joey and I ran over to the window in the living room. We could see a man, probably about Luesa's age, speeding past Luesa's house. He gazed at the house as he passed.

I saw a bit of him. He had jet-black hair (he wasn't wearing a helmet), and looked husky. He was wearing a black jacket with a white fur trim, black leather pants, and a white t-shirt with some type of black symbol on it. I didn't know exactly what was on his shirt because he was speeding too fast. I thought he was wearing black sunglasses. All I could say was that he looked like a biker and also looked like a vampire. I didn't know much about his motorcycle except that it was black.

"He's sorta my Ex," Luesa said with a harsh voice.

I looked over my shoulder and could see Luesa's eyes burning at the man who was disappearing at a turn.

"Ex?" I glanced back out the window again to check if that guy in black was passing us again.

"He's more of a stalker. He spotted me at a bar four months ago, while I was doin' an undercover mission, and followed me around for a while. He asked over and over if I would go out with him, but I kept rejecting him. It finally got to the point where I broke down, so I gave up and went on one date with him last month. It was terrible! He was a bigger creep than I'd thought. He wasn't really my boyfriend. I only went out with him once, and it's like we're married to him. Ugh! For the past month, he's been circling around my house day and night. I can't go to sleep without seeing his bike's light shining through my bedroom window. I even have to put up with him while I'm heading to work."

"He sounds crazy."

"He's many things, Vin. Crazy is one of him. He also falls under the category of mentally challenged, unhelpful, creep, ugly, and I can just go on."

I didn't think he was ugly exactly, but I knew this wasn't a good time to be honest, so I stayed quiet.

"One of these days I'm gonna kill that son of a..." she didn't finish her sentence. She started to mutter curses under her breath.

Her look scared me because she really looked like she was actually gonna kill him! "I don't think you want to kill him exactly."

"I'm serious." Luesa said darkly.

Now I was officially creeped out. I glanced at Joey and could see that he was also uncomfortable with Luesa's murderous expression.

"You kids should probably leave," Luesa warned as she headed for the kitchen. "I don't want you two to see anything unpleasant."

My stomach turned at the thought of her words. I just had a feeling something bad was going to happen so I started to leave the house with Joey following me closely behind. We grabbed our jackets off the coat hanger that stood next to the front door, and slipped them on as we exited.

"Bye Lu," I said as we got outside and started heading for the sidewalk. "See ya tomor-WHOA!!!"

I was interrupted by Joey, pulling me by the back of my jacket. I tipped backwards and landed hard on the ground. Only seconds after I landed, I saw Luesa's ex sliding sideways on his bike, missing be by mere inches. He pulled to a short stop right in front of us, then continued ahead. If I had kept walking, I would have been a goner!

"Are you okay?" Joey put his hand out to help me out.

I wobbled as I got up from being so startled. My heart beat rapidly. I trembled badly. I could barely support myself up because I was trembling so much. That near death experience caught me by surprise.

"I-I think so," I nervously stammered.

"THAT'S IT!!! THIS TIME YOU'VE GONE TOO FAR!!!" Luesa screamed to the top of her lungs from behind us. She quickly ran past us with a broom over her head. Her ex sped ahead and disappeared at a turn at the end of the street. Luesa chased after him with the broom clear to the turn. She glared at the direction her ex had gone for a few moments, then stomped back towards us.

Her features were hostile. One hand kept a vicious hold on the broom as if it was her ex's neck, while the other was balled into a fist. Her eyes were narrowed to the maximum, making a spiteful look in her eyes. Her mouth was vibrating like what a dog does when it's growling at someone for trying to steal its food.

"Are you alright?" Luesa asked with a bit of anger in her voice.

I only nodded. I really didn't feel like talking. I didn't know what was really scaring me: almost dying or Luesa's spiteful face.

"I'm gonna kill that creep for messing with you two! You could have been killed. He's lucky I'm off duty and I can't use my gun here or I might have hit someone. If he wasn't so lucky, he would have been pushing up daisies already."

I looked around the neighbourhood to see what people could have been hit. I saw an old man raking some leaves. He was gaping at us with the rake in one hand. I also spotted a couple of girls on a swing, also gaping at us. I saw countless neighbours staring at us. Obviously, they had noticed the scene. Luesa was right. It was too risky to use her gun here.

"Please ignore him, Luesa. He's nut. You know that," Joey reminded.

"A crazy-pain-in-the-butt-nut! No way! He's too dangerous to have around. This time it's personal!"

"Don't encourage him," I told her. "He's just enjoying the chase. Just go inside your house, lock the door, and call the cops."

"Please! Just ignore him and he'll leave you alone. He'll get bored and go home." I begged.

"He'd better crawl back to the cave he came from or I'm gonna blow him to the next kingdom!"

"C'mon, Luesa. You're scaring me," I admitted.

"And me," Joey added.

"Hey, hey! I'm doin' this for you, Joey, and everyone else around here."

"Fine." I was about to go out to the sidewalk again, but Luesa pulled me by the arm.

"Oh no you don't! It's too dangerous for you to be walking around here. Stay here until I exterminate this bastard."

"But I need to get home soon."

"I don't care. I'm not risking your safety." Luesa dragged me by the arm, right by Joey. She pointed to where I was placed.

"You two... DON'T move," Luesa sharply commanded. "Don't even move a muscle."

"I can't promise I won't move," Joey protested. "What if I have to scratch my nose, or go to the bathroom, or faint?"

Luesa grabbed Joey's collar and pulled his face towards hers. "Look into my eyes! Can't you see I'm half nuts right now?"

"Okay, okay. Sorry."

Luesa released Joey and went over to the sidewalk. Once her ex got closer, she prepared her "battle weapon" and charged at the man. "YOU'RE A DEAD MAN, CARTER KURTON!!!" She pointed the end of the broom ahead of her as she ran like a knight charging for a battle. It was as if she was attacking the "vampire biker" to protect herself from him drinking her blood.

Carter grinned and put out his foot, getting ready to trip Luesa. Luesa reacted to this quickly. Just as she got in front of the bike, she spun out of his leg's way, then jabbed the broomstick into some type of gear at the front of the motorcycle. Then the sound of a jammed machine roared. His bike flipped forward, sending Carter flying like a cat out of a cannon. He landed on a dead apple tree across the street. I didn't know which part she hit exactly. This all happened so fast it was over in the blink of an eye.

"OOOOOWWWWW!!!" Carter wailed as he collided with the tree branch. "SOMEBODY GET ME DOWN FROM HERE!!!"

Luesa stared at Carter with utter shock for a moment as if she was brain washed by an evil scientist into doing this deed, then suddenly woke up from the trance. She put her hand on her mouth, then gasped.

"Oh my $#$# god! I killed him!"

I ran over to Luesa, who still stood there with her hand over her mouth, staring at Carter in shock, and still held the broomstick, which had been snapped in half when Luesa jabbed the motorcycle. Joey walked beside me and joined in with Luesa, staring in shock. Pretty soon, all the neighbours that were outside were peering at the apple tree where Carter hung. Even far away, I could tell a bit of the branch pierced part of his body.

"He's not dead yet," I reported. "He's still talking."

"Help me!" Carter continued to wail.

If he was dying, he was doing it pretty loudly.

"Unless the branch pierced his heart, he'll be fine," Luesa said, trying to calm everyone down. "He's part vampire, after all."

"Hey, that's what I was thinking," I admitted.

"You know, we have a lot of things in common. Now, call the ambulance before his bawling summons every cat in the neighbourhood."

I obeyed and ran back into the house.

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"Don't worry, Carter," I called as I came out of Luesa's front door. "The ambulance is on its way."

Just as the last sentence escaped my mouth, the tree branch collapsed and dropped to the ground with Carter on it. Carter moaned some more after he hit the ground. He rolled on his back with the branch still sticking out of him. Luesa rolled her eyes at Carter then started heading towards him. I stayed with Joey and watched what was gonna happen next.

"You wanted to kill me, didn't'cha?" Carter whined.

"Relax, you big baby. You're not gonna die. It's just a minor injury," Luesa informed as he examined it.

"I'm gonna have you arrested for attempted murder!"

"Shut up! Just relax."

"You'll be spending the rest of your life rotting in prison, and-OWW!" He was cut off by Luesa shaking the branch that was sticking out of him. "OW! Don't hurt me!"

"I said, shut up and relax!" Luesa repeated. "And don't threaten me, or else you won't be around for the cops to arrest you for endangerment to public, speeding around like a maniac, close call manslaughter for almost killing Vincent, and for sexual harassment and stalking."

Meanwhile, Joey and I just watched until the ambulance came.

"I think I like your aunt," Joey said when Carter was being put in the back of the ambulance.

I sighed and looked at Luesa some more. Suddenly I remembered something.

"Shoot!" I shouted.

"W-what is it?" Joey asked.

"I'm supposed to meet someone. I gotta go."

I took off, wasting no more time.

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"I told you to meet me at the parking lot at six," Lenny reminded me as I ran up to him. "Or did you forget?"

"I didn't forget, sorry."

The limo was still parked in the parking lot we always met. I was talking to Lenny outside the limo. I leaned against the vehicle while Lenny just stood there talking to me.

"This is starting to get risky. I can't keep letting you into the city like this. What if those soldiers..."

"I COULD CARE LESS ABOUT THOSE SOLDIERS!!!" I shouted.

Lenny's one of my closest friends so he worries about me a lot. He may even be more of an older brother. Yeah, that's it. He's more of a brother. Just like any brother, we have our fights.

This left Lenny speechless for a few moments, but he recovered soon after. "I'm just saying it could get dangerous. What if people find out about you being rich? Then some... some... crazy man might kidnap you for a ransom!"

"Lenny, no one is gonna find out!"

"They will soon, I bet. People just need to know your real name is Vincent Valentine, and they'll know."

"No one will find out."

"I don't think I can do this much longer. I heard rumours about the soldiers lurking around the city."

"As long as I'm in public, I'm safe."

"I'm not gonna keep risking your life!"

"Why can't you just..." I suddenly trailed off at having a feeling I wasn't alone.

I look over my shoulder and saw Joey with my red backpack in one hand. I wondered why Lenny hadn't noticed him.

His expression was anger. He may even be showing a hateful face. I've never seen Joey like this, not even around Bruner.

"Joey..."

Joey stomped towards me and harshly thrust my backpack towards my chest. "Here!" Joey harshly said. "You forgot it at Luesa's and I brought it to you!" Joey spun on one heel and started walking away from me.

I chased after him and tried to stop him.

"How much did you hear?"

"I got to the part were you talked about that guy saying something about soldiers. I heard enough."

"Joey..."

"I can't believe you!" Joey bitterly said as he kept walking without looking at me.

"Please, Joey, let me explain."

"You lied to me! What am I supposed to call you now? Vince? Vincent? A member of the perfect Valentine family? Ugh!"

Joey dashed away from me. I tried to make a grab for him, but he ducked out of my grasp.

"Joey!" I called.

He didn't stop. He just kept running. I didn't go after him because I was worried I was just going to make things worse. I was worried he was never going to forgive me.

**Sorry about parts of this chapter being sloppy. I was in a hurry when I was writing this. I'm getting close to an interesting part. Please be patient. Thanks for sticking around for some long. You guys don't know how much your reviews and knowing people are enjoying the fanfic means to me. THANK YOU!**


	14. Forgiveness

"Joey, can we talk in private?" I asked.

Joey didn't glance up at me. He just kept eating his lunch.

"Is everything okay?" Wayne asked. "You two haven't talked to each other all day."

Since I had saved Joey from the fire, Wayne and I became close friends. I got a whole table full of friends, but I was still closer to Joey with Wayne as runner up. During lunch, we always ate together at the same exact table everyday. We even always sat in the same exact seats. All of us always participated in a conversation in the group. But today was different.

Joey was still mad about yesterday. He hadn't said a word to me all day, and it was driving me crazy.

"It's okay, Wayne. Joey and I just need to talk."

Wayne nodded and went back to munching on some potato chips. Joey still didn't move. I finally had it. I seized Joey by the arm and dragged him to the hall like a parent taking a child out of a toy store. His feet slid across the hard floor. He even struggled with me, but didn't say a word. The only noises he made were grunts from trying to pull away from me. Luckily, I'm stronger than Joey.

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"What do you want me to say!?" I paced back and forth as I demanded. The hall was pretty empty and quiet, but my shouting made up for it. I wasn't shouting so loud that people in the cafeteria could hear me, but I shouted just enough to get Joey's attention. "That I'm sorry my family is famous!? That I'm sorry my family can be snobs at times!? Or is it because of my family's wealth!? It's not my fault my family..."

"It's not that!" Joey cut me off. I paused, a bit surprised. This was the first word Joey said to me all day. Joey just leaned back on some lockers. "You lied to me. That's the problem."

"I said I was sorry. I didn't know what to say to people. Almost all of my life, I've been cooped up in the mansion with endless classes 24/7. I hardly ever got the chance to get out, or meet other people my age. When I usually see one of the family friend's kids, they're usually not my age or they're snobs. I just want to be normal. I will never get a second chance. It was hard enough to convince my father to let me attend private school. I just want to be treated like everyone else. It's not fair when I get treated differently because I'm rich, I'm related to a famous family, or have a history of hiding from malice enemies. It's not fair! The soldiers already took enough from me!"

I stared down at the floor and tried to hold back tears. A long time ago, I had learnt not to cry. No exceptions. No matter how much I felt betrayed, no matter how much Vernica's words stabbed me, no matter how much pain Jonathon caused me, I was not allowed to cry. The only award I got for it was more suffering.

"Vincent... I... I had no idea."

I looked up and saw Joey standing right beside me. I could tell by his look that he felt sorry for me.

"I'm sorry. I don't know that much about the outside world. Are we... still friends, despite who I truly am?"

"Don't worry about it." Joey patted me on the back and grinned. "I'm just wondering, are you the Valfur family?"

At first I didn't know what he was talking about, then I remembered what Lenny said to me a couple of months ago, "_Nobody knows their _(Vincent's family)_ true name, so they just call them the V family."_

I nodded.

"That explains it! Wow! You're so lucky your family is so... Wait a minute. Are you also related to Grimoire Valentine?"

Woah! This was all happening too fast. I didn't know what to say. Lately, I've been angry with my father for not coming for a visit in ages. I just didn't want to talk about him. If he was going to forget about me, I might as well forget about him. I didn't want to leave Joey hanging because his eyes were glimmering with excitement from waiting for an answer.

"Yes," I managed to mumble.

"Really!?"

I nodded slowly.

"Dude, he's like my idol! He's the reason I want to be a scientist! Oh my gosh! I'm friends with his son and... Sorry, I'm overreacting. Man, you're so lucky. You're rich and can have anything you want, your family is talented, and you're related to an amazing man. I wish I were you. My mom can barely get enough extra cash for Christmas."

Oh, he doesn't know how lucky he truly is. He has no idea about the truth about my family.

"I had more relatives, but they died after the Kalm massacre. Now it's only me, my uncle and aunt, and my father."

Joey's face quickly transformed into a sad expression, showing regret, "Oh, sorry. I read about it in a history book once but... sorry," his voice was full of pity for me. "I forgot. I didn't mean..."

"That's okay!" I cut him off. "I... that was years ago. Forget about it. I got over it years ago." I lied about the last sentence. This tragedy still haunted me.

Joey was silent for a minute. I could tell he didn't know what to say next.

I decided to change the subject. "So, are we still friends?"

"Always. I was such an idiot."

"You're naturally an idiot," I joked. "There's not much you can do about that."

Joey playfully elbowed me in the side. "Ha! You're twice the idiot than I can ever be."

"Dream on."

We headed back to the cafeteria to finish what was left of our lunchtime.

**My severe apologises for making the chapter so short. I had no choice to end it here because I'm gonna do a lot of major time skipping and I want to save it for the next chapter. I promise the next chapter will be a lot longer. I'm only a couple chapters away from making the fanfic a LOT more exciting. Please just bare with me. If you want, review. I can't blame you if you don't want to review this chapter for it being so cruddy. If you're mad at me for it, I'll understand.**

**I'm also sorry I haven't updated in a while, but I've been busy. My brother hogged the computer for a couple days and I spent entire day searching for a guinea pig. Most pet store were out so we had to go to a bunch of different towns. I got one now.**

**This note is important. In future chapters, I will sometimes use third person or first person in Vincent's view or another character's view. It depends on whether there will be more things that will be descripted in the chapter or if it has more emotion in it. It may even depend on my mood. We'll see. Just work with me people. You'll get in the hang of it. **

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	15. Time of Our Lives

**In this chapter, I'm doing a lot of major time skipping. I want to make some parts as short as possible because I want to move on to other chapters and there's a lot of different times I need to show you. Whenever there's a date written at the top, it means the time skipped weeks or months. If it's just separated by 0s, then it means I only skipped some mintutes or hours. You'll get in the hang of it.**

_October 13_

"C'mon, Vin!" Luesa was starting to get impatient with me. "You need to work on you aim better."

"Sorry, sorry!" I nervously apologized as I shot at another target.

I bet you're wondering what a fifteen year old like me is doing with a gun. It's quite simple, really. Just a few days ago, I started training with Luesa. She's teaching me some martial arts, how to use a gun, what do in a dangerous situation and much more stuff she knew from being a star detective. She even said she might teach me to steer a motorcycle, but it's not guaranteed. All she said was "we'll see."

I don't know for sure what made me choose to do this. Maybe I wanted to have some skills that could help me protect myself from my abusive uncle. Maybe I wanted to impress Father. It might be because I want to be strong. Maybe I just want to gain back the pride that my uncle and aunt robbed from me, ages ago. Whatever the reason, I work hard to get stronger. Everyday after school, I come to Luesa's house for some training for an hour or two. Then I hang out with Joey, and some of my other friends.

Homework isn't a problem because it's easy for me, so I have plenty of time. I think I'm even smarter than everyone in my class. I guess that's what happens when your aunt and uncle make you work to the death on studying. Grades are a tough war to fight because I always lose somehow. If I keep getting straight As, then I might be transferred to another grade or school, and I don't want to leave Joey or my friends. But if my grades were even as low as a B+, Uncle would beat the living day lights out of me. So I just do whatever I can to balance out my grades.

Luesa and I were aiming at targets she had spread on her yard. Together, we aimed for the targets, then blasted them with our guns. My gun wasn't as good as Luesa's. She gave me some type of training gun. Oh well, at least I got to blast something. I still wish I could use Luesa's weapon, Quicksilver, at least once, but she said it was too dangerous for me, a beginner, to handle, and she said it was "her baby." She said, if anyone was EVER going to use it, she would make sure the person was well experienced and worthy.

Luesa was wearing a white tank top with a leather jacket over it, and leather pants. You wouldn't believe how many different cool clothes she has. I, on the other hand, was merely wearing my private school uniform.

I kept blasting at the targets, but today wasn't my day. I kept getting sloppy with my firing. She was right. I do need to work on my aim. It's still fun to pretend my targets were people I hated like Jonathon, Vernica, or Bruner. Pleasure filled me as I took some of my anger out on the targets.

"Vin, the trick to properly using a gun is to stay calm and be patient, even if it's a life or death battle. If you charge into battle with a great lack of experience or calmness, it's suicide. You must have control over your emotions, and don't ever let them get to you."

I nodded and carefully pointed the gun at a dummy tied to a wooden pole that must have been used to hang laundry. I waited for my emotions to simmer down. My eyes focused on the little dot of the bullseye symbol that was painted on the dummy.

"Now keep focusing you eyes on the target and pretend your eyes could zoom in and out on vision."

"Huh?"

"In other words, pretend your eyes are a scanner that helps you see far away. Trust your gun."

At first I thought the "trust your gun" thing was weird, but I did what she said anyway. I let my emotions slowly drain out of me as I kept my gun aimed at the dummy. Once I was calm, I slowly pressed my finger on the trigger until finally...

_Bam!_

A bit of smoke came out of my gun from making a shot. Luesa walked over to the dummy I blasted and studied it to see how well I had done. It was pretty far away so I didn't know for sure if I had gotten a good shot. I was too excited for her to tell me, so I dashed over to the dummy, in hope of success.

As I got up to Luesa and the dummy, I could see a satisfied smirk on Luesa's face. I scanned the dummy for where the bullet landed. Shock was my first reaction. I got right on the dot of the bullseye!

"Wow! You did better than me than when I made my first shot as a beginner," Luesa admitted. "You might make a great gunman one day. Have you ever considered joining the police force?"

I thought about it for a minute, but still didn't have much to say. The idea of Uncle controlling my future kept shattering the hope of being a police officer or anything I would want to be.

"Not really, I sorta... I don't know."

"Before I forget, I just wanted to tell you that I will be giving your uncle and aunt another "friendly" visit. Is there anything you want me to look at when I get there?"

"Uhh... I can't think of anything."

"Vince, if they are mistreating you, I need to know. They may look suspicious but I still can't find any evidence. I may need to inspect your body for wounds."

I didn't want to continue the conversation, so I decided to change the subject. "Guess what?"

"What?"

"It's my birthday today," I happily announced.

"Really?"

"Yep. I'm so excited. Maybe father will come for a visit today."

"Wow, good for... Wait! Your dad isn't even over for your birthday!?" Luesa made a scowl at the thought. She looked at me with her hands on her hips.

I now realized my mistake. I shouldn't have talked about him. "He's trying. Really, he is. He calls me everyday."

Great! Now I'm lying to Luesa again. I haven't got a call from him since he said I could go to private school.

"What do you want for your birthday?"

"Nothing really. I'm just hoping for my father to visit."

"Is there anything I can get you?"

"No, no! I got just about everything I wanted." I had trouble saying the last part. The lie was like poison in my mouth.

"Okay, let me know if you change your mind."

My eyes widened as I checked my watch. "Oh, man! I'm gonna be late!"

"Vincent?"

"I gotta go. I was supposed to meet someone. See ya," I called the goodbye as I jogged away.

"Bye," Luesa called back. "Just remember to come back for training tomorrow, or else I'll have to find you and drag you here."

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"It's your birthday today!?" Joey asked loudly, surprised.

"Yep, I'm really excited."

Joey and I were hanging out at the Burger Palace, the same burger joint I met Joey at. We already got our orders and were chomping down on our burgers and fries.

"Oh man! I don't even have a birthday present for you!"

"Relax, I don't want anything except for Father's visit."

"Are you sure you don't want me to customize a robot just for you?"

"No, thanks."

In case you weren't paying attention, Joey is a tech geek. He makes robots, gadgets, and all kinds of gizmos. Whenever he invented something, I was the first to see it.

"I... never mind." Joey took another bite out of his burger.

"What? What is it?"

"I just... wanted to know...if you could introduce me to your dad whenever he's over."

Yes, Joey knows about almost everything about me. He even became close friends with Lenny. The only thing he didn't know was about how my uncle and aunt abused me and neglected me. I wish I could get the words out, but whenever I finally had the courage to tell him, or there was a good time to tell him, the words balled up in my throat, never escaping.

"Sure, but don't get your hopes up too much. He's hardly around and doesn't stay for too long, so you might only have a brief conversation with him."

"No worries, even a few moments with my idol will be precious."

Joey's hero, besides me, for saving his life a couple of months ago, was my father. I didn't see why. Then again, Joey doesn't know the real him. I don't think I do either. He's not much of anything to me anymore. Lately, I've been realizing that he is more of a stranger than a father. All I know about him is that he's kind, talented, and successful. It's almost like the memories of us together nine years ago were nothing more than a dream that never took place in real life. That's how distant my father and I grew apart. I sometimes feel a bit of hatred towards him for abandoning me so often.

"After months of work, I finally got another one of my inventions done. Do ya wanna see it?"

"Another invention!? Geez, how many have you made in just a few years of your life?"

"Dunno. I lost count. You'll love it. It may even save lives."

"Okay, lay it on me."

Joey reached for his backpack off a booth next to him, then fished for his invention inside. I was wondering how long it would take. His backpack is so stuffed with homework, graphs of his inventions, and other stuff he likes to carry around that I'm surprised he can carry all that. Heck, I wonder why his backpack hasn't exploded from having all that junk yet.

It was taking Joey a little while. I couldn't help to get impatient. The wait was starting to be too much for me, so I starting humming a song I heard on the radio today, just to kill some time.

"Got it!" Joey pulled out something that looked like a cordless phone except something was different about it. It might have been because it was so small. Maybe it was because it was black, an unusual colour for a phone.

"Joey, the cordless phone has already been invented."

"Oh no, it's more than a phone without a cord attached. It's a phone you can make a phone call anywhere. You can make calls with it while you drive a car, walking on the streets, and even when you're in the middle of the woods. Its use is almost endless. So, whaddoya think?"

I was speechless for a moment. I didn't know what to say. It sounded like an odd device to me. Once I gained some words, I was able to speak.

"No offence, but I don't see much use for this device."

"Hello! It could be handy if you are in an accident while you're driving, or it can help you call the police if you're in danger while walking in the city."

"Hmm, I never thought of it. Is it finished yet?"

"Well, no. It might take a while."

"I thought you said your were finished making it."

"I meant I was finished building it. I still have some problems with it."

"What kind of problems?"

"I need some type of satellite signal to use it. I might need something like a radio tower or something."

"Have you thought of a name for it yet?"

"...Not yet. Let me think." Joey faced showed he was starting to space out.

"You know, you don't need to do it right now."

"Shhhh!" Joey motioned for me to be quiet.

I just rolled my eyes, then laid my elbow on the counter.

"Uhhh...ummm." Joey sounded like some type of monk I saw on tv once.

My fingers tapped on the counter impatiently.

"I got it!" Joey shouted a bit too loud, directing a bit of attention towards himself. A few people stared at him for a few moments, then just went back to eating their meal.

"I'm waiting."

"How about cellphone? Rad name, huh?"

Before I could say anything else, I remembered I was supposed to be back at the mansion a little early today. I quickly retrieved my backpack off the counter, and tossed the papers from the stuff I ate into the waste basket as I headed toward the door.

"Hey, where ya goin'?" Joey demanded.

"Sorry, I gotta go. It's kinda important."

"Alright, see ya."

I waved goodbye then headed out the door.

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"Get away from the window before you break it with your ugly face!" Jonathan commanded.

I glared at him for a moment and put my eyes out the window. I was hoping my father would come. I was dying for it. If he didn't come, I swear I was going to lose it.

"And don't glare at me either, unless you want me to punch your lights out!"

"Oh c'mon, Johny. Just let him be a hopeless idiot, for all we care today. It's his birthday, after all," Vernica said with a bit of venom in her voice.

"Call me that again, 'n I'll kill you!"

Vernica remained silent. I could see her reflection on the window, even though she was a bit far away. I could tell Jonathon's threat scared her. I sometimes think even Vernica was scared of him!

"Yeah, that's what I thought."

"Why did you have to change? Why are you always like this now? What happened to your old self?" I was shocked to see through Vernica's reflection that she looked sad or maybe worried! I didn't even know she could feel these two emotions. I had always thought she only felt anger and happiness.

"It's not like you stayed the same, either. First of all, the Kalm massacre killed almost everyone in this family, including my wife and son." Jonathon also did something shocking. His eyes were watery! His voice even sounded sad. "Why didn't they take me instead of those two? Why!? I was so helpless!" Jonathon stopped right there.

Vernica went over to him and put a hand on his shoulder to comfort him. "It's okay. It wasn't your fault. It's not like you could have done anything. If you had made an attempt to protect them, you probably would have been just killed, too. After all, we barely made it out of the room. It's a miracle we weren't even wounded. We're fortunate, unlike the rest of the family."

"You're right." A tear went down Jonathon's eye, but no more came out. He wiped it away.

I was shocked. For a few minutes, they were like every other average family! They even seemed friendly! This didn't last too long, though. Jonathon started glaring in my direction. Even though it was only his reflection, his glare was still piercing. Obviously, they had forgotten about me for a minute there. I knew I was being hated just for being there.

"If my son had lived instead of him, our lives would have been a lot better. He would have been a lot more useful than this reject."

I felt hot from anger. I harshly gripped a drape and squeezed it as if it was Jonathon's neck. I swore, one of these days, I was going to kill him.

Just then, the doorbell rang. As usual, a guy answered it. A few moments later, the door guy came in with a box that must have been left in front of the door.

"A package has been delivered, Mr. Valentine."

"Let me see," Jonathon commanded.

The door man, brought the box to him and left the room. Jonathon gaped at it for a few minutes. His eyes narrowed a bit as it seeing something unpleasant.

"Hey, runt," Jonathon called.

Just as I turned around, the box came flying at me. I managed to catch it in time before it hit my chest.

"It's for you," Jonathon added.

I stared at the box. It was medium sized, and had a letter attached to the top of it. It was from Father! I was excited, and immediately starting running to my room.

"No running in the house!" Vernica reminded.

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I sat down on the edge of my bed, and rested the package on my lap. I stared at it for a minute again. Should I open it now so I wouldn't have to do it later or should I save it for when Father comes? I decided to save it, but I was still going to open the letter. I slowly tore it open as if it was a delicate piece of work. Excitement made my heart rapidly beat. My hands shook from eagerness. Once the letter was ripped open, I pulled out a piece of paper from it, and read it.

_Dear Vincent,_

_I am sorry to say that I won't be able to be home for your birthday this year. Something at the Valentine Corporation has come up, and the Shinra Company isn't giving me enough mercy to have enough time to be home._

_I send you this gift, hoping you will enjoy it. I know it isn't much, but I figured it would make your day. I hope you enjoy your party. Enjoy yourself._

_Lots of love,_

_Grimoire Valentine_

Enraged, I jumped to my feet, then slammed the box on the carpeted floor. A great scream of anger escaped my mouth and made my throat sore immediately. I kicked the box under my bed, not caring if it got damaged. I read the letter some more. Again. Again. And again, hoping I'd misread it, but I hadn't. I grabbed my pillow and threw it across the room. I snatched some books off my shelf and furiously tossed them around the room. I kicked my nightstand hard, causing it to fall sideways. The list on my dresser was going to be the next victim of my anger, but Uncle stopped me just in time.

"Hey, keep it down!" I could hear Jonathon shout from downstairs. "Or I'll grab a whip and beat some sense into you!"

I immediately froze there, to prevent Jonathon from coming after me. I huffed from anger. My body tensed from being so mad. I was exhausted from my fit. My hands were balled into fists. I was furious! I hadn't seen Father in months and he wouldn't even be there for my birthday! I hated him. Maybe I didn't hate him a hundred percent, but my hatred towards him was still strong.

There's only a thin line of string keeping our relationship together, and it's threatening to snap. I'm really close on giving up my relationship with my father COMPLETELY!

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_October 31_

"So, how do I look?" I came out of the limo and slowly spun as if posing for a fashion magazine.

"What?" Joey asked. The fake fangs in my mouth must have made my sentence come out wrong.

I removed the fangs so he could hear me better. "I said how do I look?"

"Great!" Joey went over to me and studied my costume. "The vampire costume is rad! How much was it? It couldn't have been only ten bucks."

"I don't remember. I didn't really pay attention the price."

"My costume sucks."

I scanned his costume. By his torn cloths, painted scars, cuts, and a plastic butcher knife that was on his head, looking like it was sticking out of him, he was dressed up as a zombie.

"It's a great costume."

"Easy for you to say," Joey pouted as he began. "Your costume is NICE!"

"I'm serious. I did a terrible job of painting fake blood on the side of my mouth."

"I've been dying to get my hands on the candy." Joey jumped up and down like an eager child.

"Just make sure everyone else gets some candy and don't give yourself a stomach ache."

"I won't. C'mon! The party has already started!"

I watched as Joey ran inside the school. I was a bit worried about Joey being here. The costume party was supposed to have a lot of sugary treats.

The sky was an orangey golden colour. There were some red stripes colouring it. The full moon was already out even though it was still a bit early. The freezing autumn winds made me shiver a bit. The odour of fallen leaves made its way into my nostrils. The grass was a bit drenched from the frost that covered it this morning.

I calmed myself a bit. I just knew my uncle would get me for sneaking out later. I had better enjoy myself while I had the chance. I made my way into the school, and headed to the gymnasium to join the party.

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"Heeeey, look who's here." Wayne gave me a high five as a greeting. He was dressed up as a werewolf.

"Nice costume," Stacy, another one of my close friends, who was dressed up as Frankenstein's bride, I think, commented.

"Thanks."

"Where did you get it?" Josh asked. Yes, he was another one of my close friends, and he was wearing a serial murderer costume. Well, that's what I call it anyway. His costume included a hockey mask and a fake chainsaw.

"At some cheesy costume shop. It's nothing too special."

"No need to be modest," Stacy said.

"Hey, where's J?" I asked.

Joey came running towards us with a handful of candy in one hand and a Halloween cupcake in the other. He stuffed the handful of candy before I could figure out what kind it was. He speedily devoured the candy like a person who had just suffered through famine. After the candy was swallowed, he wasted no time in taking a bite out of his cupcake.

"J-Joey..." I nervously stammered as he jumped up and down like a kangaroo.

"Thisparty'sgreat!" Joey said so quickly, I could barely understand him. His voice was full of energy. Oh gosh! He had too much sugar. If you had known Joey as long as I have, you would have already known that a hyper Joey is a dangerous thing.

"Joey..." I trailed off when he took another bite out of his cupcake. This made him jump up and down more rapidly.

"Whatwhat? What'swrong? I'mnoteatingtoomuchsugar! Whatmadeyousaythat!?"

I had to think about what he said for a minute to figure out what it was. "I didn't say that."

"Whatever! I'veneverfeltsoalive!" Joey devoured what was left of his cupcake and took off. He ran to the food table to get another helping of sugary treats.

I glanced at Wayne and the others. Stacy's eyes were as wide as dinner plates. I couldn't see Josh's expression because of his mask, but he was really gaping at Joey. The colour on Wayne's face was already drained out. His mouth was a bit open from shock. His eyes were almost as wide as Stacy's.

"Sh-should we stop him?" I uneasily questioned.

Just as I said that, I heard a LOUD shout behind me.

"WHAT THE $#$!!! YOU RUINED MY COSTUME, YOU $#$!!! I'LL KILL YOU!!!"

I looked behind me and could see Bruner with red punch all over him, chasing Joey. I couldn't tell what Bruner was supposed to be. I think he was dressed as a vampire like me. He was wearing fangs. He'd copied me! Well, Joey did me a favour. Maybe a hyper Joey wasn't so bad after all. I made an evil smirk then frowned again once I remembered Joey being chased.

Wayne and I exchanged looks for a moment then looked back at Joey and Bruner, who were circling around the room.

"Yeah, we better do it quick," Wayne replied.

Wayne, Stacy, Josh and I went after the two to keep things from getting messy.

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_November 22 (Thanksgiving)_

Mrs. Allen slapped Joey's hand as he tried to reach for a piece of the lovely turkey she'd baked.

"Ouch!" Joey yelped.

"Wait!" Mrs. Allen sharply commanded.

"But Moooommmm! I'm starving! Can I just have one itsy bitsy piece?"

"No, and you're supposed to say 'may I have a piece.'"

Joey whined a bit more with his arms crossed over his chest. I just shook my head at the scene as I continued to sit at the kitchen table, reading a newspaper article about a fifty-five year old guy, who had murdered a sixteen-year-old girl. I was just doing this to kill some time, but I couldn't help but to feel sorry for the girl. I couldn't imagine that happening to me even though I had witnessed a cold blooded murder. Wait, make that murders. After all, more than one person had died in the Kalm massacre.

"Are you sure your aunt and uncle said you could come here for Thanksgiving?" Mrs. Allen called from the counter.

I looked over my newspaper and could see Mrs. Allen stuffing the turkey. "Yes, they are going to be gone on the business trip for a couple of days."

This was a lie. They were still home. The only reason they hadn't noticed me gone was because whenever Thanksgiving or Christmas came, they locked me in the basement so I would be out of their sight. They would give me a little food somewhere when it was morning. Luckily for me, there was a little window in the basement that I could crawl through. This plan was pretty flawless. They didn't really check on me so it was almost too easy to escape. I know. This cruel treatment sounds like something you would hear in a book. It is. It's the autobiography of my life. That's yet another chapter of cruel treatment.

Luesa had already come for a visit yesterday so they didn't worry about her. She had even asked me if I wanted to have Thanksgiving at her house, but I told her thanks but I was going to Joey's house.

Things were going great. I again snatched some money from my family's bank account. I used the cash to buy everything we needed for Thanksgiving. When I showed Joey's mom the stuff, she cried of joy. As you can see, things were hard at their apartment, so it was hard to get some stuff for the holidays. At first, I thought I had done something wrong when she cried. But she explained to me that this made her happier than words could ever describe. Giving truly has its rewards.

There was a knock at the door.

"Vince, will you be a dear and please get the door," Mrs. Allen requested.

"Sure." I got up from the kitchen chair and headed for the door.

Another knock was heard as I walked to it. I twisted the knob and pulled the door open. It was Doug with a bowl of potato salad. Yeah, him and Mrs. Allen are still together.

"Hello there, Vince. Am I late?"

"No, you're here on time. Dinner is almost ready."

"C'mon in, Dougy." (It's a nickname she gave him.)

Doug let himself in and walked over to Mrs. Allen who was getting the pumpkin pie out of the oven. She settled the delicious looking pie on the table, then removed her oven mits and set them on the counter. Doug playfully kissed her on the check. Mrs. Allen giggled like a school girl would if her crush was flirting with her at school.

Joey rolled his eyes, and went in the living room to watch a Thanksgiving special on tv. I just kept reading the paper.

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"You had to have cheated," Joey playfully accused.

"How could I cheat?" I looked at my piece of the wishbone closely. "All we did was pull a wishbone."

"I don't know, but I'm gonna find out soon."

Dinner was heaven. I hadn't had a meal like that since... well, ever! I'm stuffed! That hasn't ever happened. At least, I don't remember the last time. To make things better, I got the bigger half of the wishbone. The problem was that I didn't know what to wish for. I had so many things I wanted, like peace or to see my father, maybe, but I still couldn't decide. I probably wouldn't waste my wish on Father. The longer he had been gone, the less I thought or cared about him. I was still holding a small grudge against him. Okay, maybe a big grudge, but can you blame me?

"_I blame you."_

_"Hey, who asked you, and why are you still here!? I thought I got rid of you months ago?"_

_"Excuse me for not knowing how to get out of your head! If I could leave, I would do my own thing or at least find a smarter host."_

_"Shut up! You're nothing but a voice in my head! How would you be able to do your thing!?"_

_"I'm sure I'd think of something."_

Anyway, getting back on track. I trooped to the window and saw that the time I dreaded the most had come. Going home. I could see Lenny's limo outside. I made a heavy sigh and started striding towards the door.

"Wait, you're leaving already?" Mrs. Allen asked.

"Yeah, I've got to go."

"Do you want to take home any leftovers?"

"No, keep it. I don't need it."

"Are you sure?"

I nodded.

"Aww!" Joey whined. "Can you at least tell me what you wished for?"

"Of course not! If I tell you, it probably won't come true. Besides, I haven't decided yet."

"Oh man! I guess you're right. Just don't waste a good wish bone."

"Okay, see ya,"

"Come for a visit sometime," Mrs. Allen kindly said.

"Bye, champ." Doug waved goodbye as he said this.

The door closed itself behind me as I exited and sadly walked down the stairs and out to the limo, wishing I could stay just a little longer.

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_December 24_

"I... can't... reach!" Joey stretched out his arm to the top of the Christmas tree I bought for him and the family.

"How about you just get a chair?" I said as I hung another ornament.

"What can I say? I'm lazy. Why don't you do this? You're taller than me."

I made a mild glare at him. I hate it when he's right. I viciously snatched the ornament out of Joey's hand.

"Sheeesh!" Joey exclaimed as I snatched it out of his hand.

I put the ornament near the top of the tree.

"Now for the star..."

"This reminds me of a song."

"Joey, don't you dare!" I tried to get to him but wound up bumping my elbow on the tree, causing it to slowly start tipping over. "JOEY!"

"Oh, Christmas tree!" Joey began to sing, not noticing the tree tipping. "Oh, Christmas tree..." He suddenly trailed off when he noticed the tree getting ready to fall on him. "OH, PLEASE DON'T FALL ON ME!" He shouted with a bit of singing in his voice.

I leapt at him just as the tree started to fall down. We tumbled on the floor as we landed. We then glanced at the fallen tree. It had barely missed us.

"I never knew decorating a tree could be so dangerous," Joey said with a shaky voice.

Mrs. Allen ran in the room with Doug following. "What happened here!?" Mrs. Allen demanded, worried.

"The tree just fell over," I informed. I got up and lifted the tree up, and made it stand straight back up. Despite a few broken and missing ornaments that fell on the floor, it looked the same before it was knocked over.

"Did either of you get hurt?" Mrs. Allen ran toward us and looked at us closely, checking for wounds.

"We're fine," I told her.

"I can't say the same for the ornaments." Joey pointed at the tree with his thumb.

Mrs. Allen sighed with a bit of irritation. She would have to clean up the broken objects later, after all.

"Vince, remind me not to be standing in front of a Christmas tree when your on the other side," Joey joked.

I snorted and sneered at him. That's what I get for saving his sorry butt!?

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I watched as Doug, Joey, and Mrs. Allen shared stories of their families on the sofa, like the best times they'd had, the funniest things that had happened to them, and the most exciting part of their lives. They laughed joyfully. They were having a blast. Though the scene was jolly, I couldn't help but to weep mentally. I don't have memories of having a happy family because it's been so long since we were together. I can barely remember a thing about my father, or any other relatives. I will probably never have those memories in the future. My uncle's beatings and my aunt's words must have washed them out of me. It was unbearable to watch.

Unable to keep being in this atmosphere, I got to my feet and starting sneaking to the door.

I was just about to grab the knob when Joey asked, "Vince, where are you goin'?"

I stopped dead as if shot by a freeze ray. Joey ran over to me, and had a face of concern. I lowered my arm away from the door. I didn't look up at him, worried I would show my pain. It was almost humiliating. The pain kept eating at me. I could already feel my mouth turning into a frown.

"You don't have to leave right now. You can stay as long as you want."

I still didn't make a sound. I stayed in the same position.

"Are your uncle or aunt on another business trip? What about your dad? Shouldn't he be home? After all, it is the holidays."

This nearly brought tears in my eyes. I didn't have much to go back to. My aunt and uncle probably still didn't even know I was gone. They might still think I was down in the basement. They were probably still at the mansion, enjoying the Christmas party with all kinds of other rich snobs. This was one of the reasons they kept me down in the basement at this time of year. They didn't want me to "scare away guests." I didn't want to be back in the cold basement, but I didn't want to be here either. Christmas was a holiday about everything I didn't have. This holiday often brought me pain.

Joey's face got more sad looking. He realized he had made a mistake with what he said. "Sorry! I didn't mean..."

"It's fine," I sadly muttered as I made another grab for the knob.

"Why don't you have Christmas with us this year?" Mrs. Allen offered. "You did help us with the holidays, and we should be helping you. No one deserves to be alone during the holidays."

I didn't know what to say. I was too shocked to say a word. They were willing to give up a perfect Christmas by themselves for me? I didn't think it was possible for anyone to care about me that much.

I felt a strange warm feeling, which made me smile. "Sure, thanks."

"No prob, bro," Joey said. "It's the least we can do."

They don't know how much this truly means to me.

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_December 25_

"Here, open this one." I thrust the last present I got at Joey. Most of the presents and Christmas dinner had been paid by me. I'd done some more "borrowing" from the family bank account.

Joey eagerly retrieved the paper-covered box from me. He rapidly tore the present open. His face glowed from excitement. Mrs. Allen and Doug watched us from the sofa.

"Ooooh!" Joey exclaimed.

"What did ya get?" Doug eagerly asked.

"Look!" Joey flashed the present toward the couple. He got the rollerblades I had bought for him. I would have bought the rad skateboard I had seen in a display next to them, but Joey is more of a rollerblader. I'm more of the skateboarding dude.

"Thanks, Vince."

"You're welcome."

"This gift rocks! I can't wait to try them out!"

"I hate to remind you but there's snow outside and it will be around three to four months before you can try them out, so you're out of luck."

"Thanks for bursting my bubble," Joey pouted.

I climbed to my feet and started heading to the kitchen to get some lunch. The ham in the oven was still thawing, so it would be a while before it was time for Christmas dinner. Mrs. Allen hadn't even started on the other stuff yet because it was still too soon.

"Wait, I got you something," Joey called.

I spun around and knelt by Joey. "What?" I didn't think I heard right.

"I got you something," Joey repeated. "Here." He pulled a small red box from the tree. He handed it to me gently as if it was glass.

"Joey, I couldn't..."

"Go ahead, open it."

I carefully pulled the paper apart, trying to be careful not to make a mess. Instead of red, the box was now sandy coloured. I cautiously lifted the lid, and peeked inside. It was too dark in there to see much, so I opened it wider. It was a picture of Joey and me. We were standing in front of one of the grand falls in Northsky Falls. It was still sunny out when it was taken. As usual, Joey made a toothy grin while I made a plain smile with my arms crossed on my chest. I glanced up at Joey to see his expression. He seemed eager to see me looking at it.

"I know it isn't much, but it was all I could get you. I would have made something less cheap like a robot, but lately they've been needing repairs, or weren't finished because of some problems like not enough robotic parts. Do you like it?"

I was speechless for a moment and grinned. I felt some more warmth inside of me.

"Trust me, Joey. This is worth more than anything money can buy."

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_January 1_

Joey and I counted together as we watched the clock and the tv at the same time. "Three...two...one...HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!"

We lightly tapped our bottles together. "What is this again?" I asked Joey about the bottle.

"Dunno for sure. My mom says they are bottles of juice but they look more like wine to me."

"Do you guys do this every year?"

"Yes, except some of the adults get beer while the kids and teens get holiday juice," Mrs. Allen said as she came out of the bathroom.

"So we drink these?" I kept questioning.

Mrs. Allen nodded. I stared at the drink some more. I hesitated on drinking it. "Joey?"

"I guess we better get this over with. Together."

The two of us put the bottles up to our mouths. We slowly let the liquid make itself into our mouths until, finally, a mouthful of the drink got inside. Right when that drink touched my tongue, I could swear my tongue was on fire. My eyes almost watered from disgust. I felt like I was going to throw up. Yuck! That drink was nasty!

Without wasting a minute, Joey and I both ran to the kitchen and spat the drinks in the sink in chorus.

"Eww, yuck!" Joey whined and spat some more.

"Gross! My tongue's ruined forever!" I whined as I started to run cold water over my tongue.

Doug and Mrs. Allen stood in the kitchen doorway laughing.

"I should have known better then to let you boys drink it." Mrs. Allen laughed some more.

"Happy New Year, V," Joey said before he spat one last time.

"Happy New Year, J" I said back with my tongue hanging out.

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_March 3_

I knocked on Joey's front door a few times, then waited for someone to answer. The halls were kind of chilly. I shivered some. I rubbed my hands together, trying to get them warm. It was taking a while. I decided to knock again in case Joey or Mrs. Allen didn't hear me. After a couple of minutes, I was just about to leave when Mrs. Allen finally came out the door.

"I turned around and started to greet, "Hello Mrs. Al..." Her red face made me trail off.

She looked like a mess! Her usual well-brushed, blond hair was really out of place. Her clothes looked like they had been caught in a tornado. Her face was reddened, which made it look like she had been crying a lot. A tissue was in her hand. Her eyes were watery.

"Mrs. Allen, what's wrong!?" I sympathetically asked, extremely worried.

"It's Joey."

"Is he okay!?"

"I don't know. He... he..." She cried some more.

"Mrs. Allen, just slowly tell me what happened."

"When I told him about Doug proposing to me, and how I had said yes, he got pretty upset. I just don't understand. I thought he liked Doug." Mrs. Allen sniffled and wiped some more tears with the tissue she was holding. "I'm so worried. Some of his stuff is gone. It's cold out there. What if... Do you know where he could have gone?"

"I don't..." I then had a thought. "I think I know where he might be."

"Can you PLEASE bring him back? Please tell him to come home! The cops are already searching but I don't know if it's enough."

"If I see him, I promise I'll bring him back, even if I have to drag him."

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I could see Joey on the shore. He was hugging his knees, had his chin rested on his knees, and he kept staring out to the frozen water ahead of him. He was wearing his usual winter outfit: a navy blue coat with a bunch of pockets and a few tears, green gloves that his mom had made him, and his white and black tennis shoes. His blue school backpack was lying right next to him.

I shifted my red scarf in front of my face to protect my teeth from the cold winds turning them into frozen ice cubes. I waited a few more moments to see if he would notice me. When he didn't, I decided to make the first move.

"I knew I would find you here."

Joey looked startled and quickly looked over his shoulder. We stared at each other for moment, but didn't say a word. We both waited for the other's next move. When Joey wouldn't move or say anything after a while, I decided to take a seat next to him. My left leg was stretched out, my right leg was bent on the ground, and my right arm eased on my leg bent leg.

There was still silence. We didn't look at each other for a long time. Northsky Falls was amazing when there was snow. Words could never truly describe it. Snow covered just about everything. The place looked like a snowy fantasy land. The lake and rivers were nothing but ice. The radiant waterfalls were frozen into bizarre ice sculptures. The evening sky was a dreadful grey colour, but the rainbow coloured lights that danced in the sky made up for the depressing colour. The aurora lights were most likely the reason this place had its name.

"It's not fair," Joey finally sobbed.

I glanced at him and could see tears coming down his eyes.

"She acts like he never existed," Joey continued.

For another moment, there was a brief silence.

"Are you talking about your father?"

Joey nodded, still not looking at me. "She just packed away his pictures and all his belongings and hid them out of her sight. She doesn't even like to talk about him. Why did she have to say yes?"

"I thought you liked Doug?"

"I do, but...I just don't know if I want him for a dad. I...I...I knew my mom really liked him, and I didn't mind too much, but I didn't expect her to marry him."

"How could you not expect her to marry him? You should have seen it coming."

"I guess I kinda did, but I must have been in denial. I must have fooled myself, thinking she wouldn't replace dad. I should have known better. She's almost being selfish." Joey sobbed some more before he continued. I didn't say anything because I wanted to wait until he finished, to prevent saying anything that would make it worse. "Dad's death is still eating at me, and she won't even bother talking about him to help me feel better. I know it was hard on her too but I just can't deal with it alone. I want her to be happy, but I also want some joy myself. Oh Vince, what am I gonna do!?"

I looked ahead of me to think about what to say for a minute. I wanted to be prepared for whatever reaction he might have towards what I was about to say. Once I finally thought I was ready to give him some comfort, I let my sentence escape out of my mouth.

"She won't ever forget about you father. She's just trying to deal with her pain in her own way. When people close to them die, people sometimes do strange things. Some mourn over their loved ones. Others may not feel a single emotion towards the tragedy until much later because of shock or denial. There are even some people that don't cry over their loved one because they don't see any point to it. They may think the person who died wouldn't have wanted that.

"Your memories of him may fade slowly in time little by little, but he will never completely fade from your heart. He will always be there for you even if you can't see him. Just feel lucky you have memories of a valuable man. There are people out there who don't ever get to meet or know their fathers, or they don't have a very good relationship with him. Your father would want your mother to meet other men, and be happy rather than sit around at be all mopey over his death. He would have wanted you to move on, too. He knows you could never forget about him. Doug cares about you and your mother very much, and he should make a great stepfather. She's not replacing your father. She's simply opening her heart to another man, and moving on.

"Your stepfather isn't supposed to be a bad thing. He's supposed to be a man that will make you and your mother happy, and help you two heal from the pain. Just think of it as a new beginning, not the end."

Joey didn't say a word. A few more tears still came down his cheeks but he didn't make a sound. He just kept looking ahead of him, thinking. He was taking in what I had said to him. At first, I was worried what I had said didn't have any effect even though it was a heart to heart conversation. Then it happened. He smiled and his eyes lit up.

"Thanks, Vince...that means a lot to me. It truly does," Joey admitted. "Hey, am I forgetting something?"

"Yeah, your mother. She's probably worried sick about you."

"Oh gosh! I forgot."

Joey jumped to his feet and ran ahead of me. I just sat there and looked ahead of me some more.

"Hey, Vince," Joey called, not sounding too far away.

"Yeah, Jo..." Just as I turned my head towards him, I felt something cold and wet fly on my left cheek. I instantly knew what just happened. I glared at Joey, who was tossing a snowball up and down one hand. "Joey, you're so toast!"

I jumped to my feet instantly. I came at him, but all it did was cause another sphere of frozen water to collide with my face. Joey ran away the moment the second snowball hit me in the face. This steamed me more. I swiftly grabbed as much snow as I could carry, making a HUGE snowball, then sprinted towards him with the gigantic snowball over my head.

"GET BACK HERE, COWARD!!!"

Joey just kept laughing and running. Ooooooohhhh! He's so gonna get it once I catch up to him.

**Whew! This is the longest chapter I ever written! Sorry it took me so long to update. The chapter was pretty long and I had some delays because of some event at home. Please review. I worked hard on this chapter and I expect you guys to review. **

**Also this chapter is dedicated to Linsey1276 for her birthday on Febulary 20. Happy birthday Linsey1276, and thanks for helping me out with the fanfic. You guys should wish her a happy birthday. Because of her, future chapter will be more accurate. **


	16. Shared Secrets

**Sorry it took me so long to update. Some stuff caused some delays. I was gonna send it in last night, but the document wouldn't go through for some reason.**

**This is the chapter where things get dramatic. After this chapter, things might start to get extreme. Thank you everybody for all the reviews. After this chapter, remember to review. The less reviews I get, the longer it takes for me to update.**

**Warning: There will be a bit of sexual dialogue in this chapter. It's still rated T and it doesn't go too far in details, but I thought I should warn you. It's nothing too graphic because I don't want to change the rating. Remember, I warned you.**

_April 28_

"Whaddaya think is inside the house?" Joey asked as he pressed his face harder against the wired fence, trying to get a better look.

"Dunno. Looks pretty haunted to me," I replied.

Joey and I were gaping at a creepy looking house that has been empty for decades. A wired fence surrounded it, and it was off limits. There was even a huge sign on the fence that said, PRIVATE PROPERTY KEEP OUT. I probably wouldn't have approached the house even if it wasn't off limits anyway. It looked like those one type of houses you often see in horror movies.

The house wasn't too special. It was awfully small and decayed. Some windows were slightly cracked. A couple of the windows had been boarded up. The paint on the outside of the house was either peeling or fading. The roof had a few small holes in them. There wasn't anything impressive except for the fountain that had some gargoyle statues on it. Sadly, like the house, the fountain was starting to fall apart.

The sunny weather improved the house's look a bit. The spring air was warm enough to enjoy but cold enough to require a jacket. Flowers were beginning to blossom. The grass was a bit drenched from the rain. Birds chirped happily, delighted that winter was finally over. Mild spring breezes blew in the air.

"Oh! I think I know what's inside," Joey began.

"What?"

"I say there's a werewolf in there that frequently drags people out of their beds in their own homes in the middle of the night, then takes his prey to his home to eat. Then he uses their bones for furniture, weapons, and even tooth picks," Joey explained.

I grinned at his statement even though I knew it was all lies. I figured I would just play along so I made my own theory. "I think inside that house, there's a ghost of a woman who forever haunts the place. She was stabbed to death by her own husband, then he tore her heart out of her chest. Now she roams around the building asking, "Where's my heart?"

Joey chuckled for a moment. "No, there's a psychotic murderer who secretly hides in that house and patiently waits for victims to be curious and check out the house. Once they get inside the door, he wastes no time to cut them with a chain saw and eat their corpses."

We laughed some more for a while.

"We may never know," I stated. "The place is going to be demolished soon."

"Yeah, too bad. I would really like to see what's inside that house. Then again, I don't want to be killed by a psycho with a chainsaw. Almost forgot, how 'bout we head to Northsky Falls again right after school?"

"Sure, but I don't know how long I can stay."

"Maybe we can finally get that boulder in the cave to move."

"Yeah right. We tried countless times already. I doubt if it didn't open then, then it won't open now. We need more help in order to do it, and we don't want anyone else to know about the place, do we?"

"Yeah, you're right. It's our job to protect the place, after all."

"I would really like to sit by the shore again today. I really need some rest."

"Alright, like we always do first thing."

"We should get goin' or we'll be late for school. Lenny will probably stop letting me walk there if I'm late, and we don't want that, do we?"

"Right. Let's go."

We turned away from the fence, then started heading to school once again.

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"Remember, no gum, electronics, or..."

Blah, blah, blah was what I mostly heard. Don't get me wrong. The principal is a great guy, but very boring when it comes to lectures. I don't exactly know why we had to listen to him. Man, he's killing me. I glanced at Joey, who was sitting right next to me. By his expression, I could tell we were feeling the same emotions. Bored and annoyed. It sort of felt weird, having to sit in the gymnasium bleachers. To me, this gigantic room almost didn't suit the occasion. They probably figured the gym would be a good place for this... whatever he's yapping about because the room is so big. The place was pretty crowded. In fact, a lot of people even had to sit on the hard floor. That's what happens when you have to share a school with other students from a different school.

I spaced off for a few moments. The words started to bounce of my head rather than make their way into my ear and into my brain. Like about every student here, I just wanted to get out.

"Hey, Joey," I began to whisper. "What time is it?"

Joey lifted his arm to his face so he could see his watch. He sighed then whispered back, "Five minutes after one."

I moaned. This place was suffocating. It felt like the walls in the room were closing in on me. If I didn't leave soon, I was gonna die!

"Are you bored?" I whispered the question to Joey.

"Yeah, in fact..."

Joey was cut off by a teacher shushing him. The teacher was only a few rows behind us. I didn't know her name because I didn't have her in any of my classes. I thought she taught senior students.

"We better talk later," I suggested.

"Agreed."

The lecture continued some more for a while. But then something weird happened. My stomach began to turn. Sweat started to form on my forehead. My palms became sweaty. My heart rapidly beat. I was frightened about what was happening to me at first. I couldn't figure at all what was wrong.

"V, are you okay?"

I glanced over at Joey, and could see him looking at me with a concerned look. I simply nodded. I honestly couldn't figure what was the deal. Was I sick? Then it hit me. I sensed something. Something bad.

"Joey..."

Before I could finish, a familiar noise I thought I would never hear again, except in some movies, boomed.

_Bam!_

This sound immediately made me jump to my feet. People started to whisper, frightened. By the sound of their voices, they were close to panicking.

"Now everyone, calm down," the principal said, trying to help get things under control.

_Bam!_

Right when the shoot rang out, people scurried around like mice. People bumped into each other, not caring what they had to do to escape. They wanted to live. It took a moment for the event to sink into Joey and me. At first, I just stood there with a wide-eyed expression.

"What's goin' go!" Joey panicky asked.

I glanced at him and looked into his eyes for a minute. I knew what was going on. It had happened to me once, and now it was happening again. Someone brought a gun. I didn't know who and I didn't think I wanted to find out.

"C'mon!" I sharply commanded as I grabbed Joey by the arm and led him down the stairs of the bleachers.

Waves of crowds kept pushing at me and Joey, threatening to separate us, but we managed to hang on to each other. Screams of terror filled the room. It was almost like the Kalm massacre.

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Joey and I didn't exchange any words as we made our way through the crowd. I couldn't get a single word past my throat. I was too scared. I trembled intensely. My breathing became heavy. Goosebumps started to form in many places in my body. My eyes darted around the halls, desperately searching for a way out. My palms became sweaty, making it difficult to keep my grip on Joey's hand. My heart beat rapidly, feeling like I was going to have a heart attack any minute. The fear was almost unbearable.

After ten minutes of running, Joey and I finally stopped in an empty hall to catch our breaths for a minute. We rushed on, knowing we may not be too far from the threat.

I glanced over at Joey, who opened a door to a classroom. Before I could object, another sound of a gunshot scared me into rushing into that room. Joey followed and swiftly closed and locked the door behind him.

"I don't know if it's a good idea to hide in here," I objected. "Shouldn't we be looking for a way out?"

"No way! If we keep joining the running mobs, we may get shot ourselves. It would be better if we wait for the cops to arrive. They should be on their way now."

"I-I guess you're right."

I decided to find a place to hide, just in case the shooter/shooters decided to look in here. Dang! Finding a hiding space in math class will be difficult. The desks were just medium sized, only having room for two people to sit. The desks wouldn't be much help to hide. They wouldn't really cover us. There was a counter that lined against the wall and ended near a corner, but I didn't know if it was enough. But at least we were safe. At least, for now.

"I never thought I would EVER be glad to be in here," I joked. It was a terrible time to joke, especially since what was happening was life threatening, but I just wanted to be able to have a good laugh and calm down. This experience really was frightening me.

The strange thing is, I'm not as scared as everyone else here anymore. I'm still pretty frightened, but I'm not jumping off the walls, panicking. I'd seen the look on everyone's faces, and could see how much fear they had. Why wasn't I as scared? Was it because I somehow knew this day would come? Was I just used to this kind of thing right now? Had Luesa's training taught me to be brave? Did it have anything to do with me sometimes wanting to die? This mystery may never have an answer, not that I'd mind. When you were overwhelmed by fear, it was hard to think straight. You often wind up making foolish mistakes. Luesa had taught me this, and now I truly understand what she had meant.

I glanced at Joey to check up on him. The poor guy. Like a helpless victim, he was cowering on the floor right by me in a foetal position. I sighed at the sight, but understood he had a right to be scared. Many things could have kept me from feeling so much fear, while Joey hardly had anything to keep himself together. He'd only trained with Luesa three times (it hadn't gone well), he had a loving family and life, despite living a poor life, he had so much to live for because of his kindness, intelligence, and etc, and he never had to put up with this type of event so he had a good reason to be scared. He had a lot to lose.

I went over to him, and knelt down in front of him. I patiently waited for us to us to make eye contact. After a few more moments of Joey trembling, our eyes connected.

"I'm such a coward," Joey said with a shaky voice.

"No, you're not. I bet everyone here is as scared as you. Maybe even worse.

"But you're not scared even though we could get shot any minute. You risked your life to save me in the fire. Countless times, you saved me from Bruner. You even took on all those thugs a month ago."

The last sentence brought me to a flashback that had been stuck in the back of my head for who knew how long.

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_"How was school today?" Lenny carefully kept his eyes on the road, steering the vehicle like the expert he is._

_"It was okay I guess. Nothing special happened." My chin rested on my hand as I gazed out the window, watching objects fly past us. _

_"Oh, I'm sure something special happened."_

_"Well, there was this one funny joke Joey told me. Wanna hear it?"_

_"Sure, why not?" The limo pulled to a stop because some cars ahead of us were blocking our way. It wasn't long before we were completely surrounded by cars. Horns roared. People shouted curses at each other. Impatient taxi drivers yelled and shook their fists at the people cursing at them. This was definitely a traffic jam._

_Lenny heavily sighed and turned his head over his shoulder towards me. "We could be here for a while," Lenny informed. "And it looks like there might have been another arrest on the road or an accident." Lenny put his face closer to the front window, focusing his gaze harder at whatever he was seeing ahead. "I don't know exactly what's happening. I guess this is a good time to tell me the joke, if you want."_

_"Okay, it starts when these two..."_

_My sentence was cut off by a scene that disturbed me. I saw a few guys, probably a few years older than me, crowding around something. I studied their movements for a moment. They seemed to be kicking something._

_Lenny said something to me, but I didn't hear because I was too busy staring out the window. I looked around my surroundings to make sure there weren't any moving vehicles. I pushed the door open, and stepped outside the limo._

_"Vincent!?"_

_My name just bounced off of me, never reaching clearly in my head. I slowly walked between a couple of cars to get a better look. I squinted my eyes as an attempt to get a better look. I was even close enough to hear what the guys were saying._

_"Give it back while your face is still attached," one of the guys threatened._

_"I told you before, I didn't take anything." I recognized that voice. It was Joey's._

_"Don't make me $ beat you to a pulp."_

_"How many times do I gotta say it!? I didn't take anything. I don't even know what you're accusing me of stealing. What do you guys think I took?"_

_One of the thugs kicked Joey in the stomach. Joey quickly reacted by clinching his stomach and moaned._

_"Shut up, thief!"_

_I had seen enough. Ignoring Lenny's calls, I sprinted towards the thugs with my fists both balled and up and ready to bash. Anger stirred inside of me as I dashed towards them. The only thing I could think of was punching those guys' lights out. I forgot about everything else. The anger had me under its control. My face felt hot. I was shaking from anger, as I was getting close to performing my blind fists of fury on them._

_Instead of punching the leader like I had planned, I jumped on one knee, and started sliding with my other leg stretching ahead. The slush from melted snow helped me pick up speed. My foot that was stretched out met with the leader's leg, knocking him backwards. Even after hitting him, I kept sliding a bit until I was a few feet away from him. My hands pushed me up from the ground and assisted me with jumping to my feet. I spun around just in time to block the leader's fist with my arm. Once the fist bounced off my arm, I grabbed the fist when it was only a few inches away. _

_For a few moments, I held the fist firmly._

_"Who do you think ya are!?" the leader demanded._

_I didn't bother to answer. I jerked the guy to my left, getting ready to release him, and send him flying, but my plans changed because the other thugs came charging at me. One of them held a dagger out, ready to slash me._

_"I'll cut ya ta bits," one of the thugs harshly threatened._

_Instead of what I had originally planned, I kept a hold on the leader's fist and swiftly jerked him to the left until I was facing the other two jerks. Right when I faced the two, I released the leader's fist, and sent him soaring in his friends' direction. As planned, the leader landed on the two other thugs. They immediately started moaning from the pain. One of them tried to slowly get up, but I didn't give him the chance._

_I scurried towards them and released kicks and punches rapidly. I beat them, beat them, and beat them until they quickly jumped to their feet and ran away. The instant I started jogging after them, I was pulled back by a hand._

_"Just let them go," Joey commanded, keeping a hold of my arm._

_I glared at him and kept trying to pull away. "No way! They beat you up and accused you of stealing! I'm not gonna let 'em get away!"_

_"Vince, please!" Joey pleaded and kept me from chasing after those thugs._

_I glanced ahead and saw that the thugs were gone. Now it was too late to go after them. I grumbled and kicked the outside of the shop. I faced Joey to check on him._

_"Are you alright?" I asked._

_"Yes, I'm fine," he answered._

_"Those worthless demons! Beating you up because of something you didn't do!" I may not have known what they accused him of stealing, but I knew Joey enough to know that he wouldn't steal from anybody. Not EVER! "Are you sure you're okay?"_

_Joey nodded. "Yeah, don't worry about it. I'm kinda used to it. It's okay."_

_"No! It's not okay! You should have let me pound 'em!"_

_"It wouldn't have done any good. It would just get you into trouble. They might have even gotten the chance to draw out their weapons on you. Besides, a cop would have seen."_

_I turned around, and could see that Joey was right. Many cops ringed around the accident, arrest, or whatever was blocking the road. There sure were a lot. One of them would have seen me beating the thugs up! This made me calm down a little, but not much. I still wasn't too satisfied._

_"Vincent, get in the limo quick!" Lenny called with one of the limo's windows down. "The traffic is moving again."_

_I rolled my eyes, annoyed and a bit mad. "If those guys bother you again, just give me a call. I'll smack them down real good."_

_"Alright, see ya."_

_I headed towards the limo, dodging some cars on the way. I yanked the door open and jumped in. I shivered a bit from being wet from the slush I slid in. It took a while for the reaction to hit me because my anger kept me warm, but now the flame of anger had almost completely disappeared. There was still a little anger left, but not enough to keep me warm. _

_"Vincent! Why are you wet!?" Lenny demanded. "You could catch a cold! What did... oh, never mind." Lenny was obviously not in the mood to argue, so he just started up the limo once more._

_I watched Joey wave and disappear behind some cars. A car behind us blared his/her horn at us. Lenny rolled down the driver seat window, and put his face a little close to the window so the driver could hear him._

_"HOLD YOUR HORSES!!! WE'RE MOVING!!!"_

_The car honked its horn once more. Lenny shouted curses at the driver, and was able to keep his eyes on the road at the same time. I never knew Lenny could cuss._

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I snapped back to reality and remembered the school being under attack. I searched the room for a hiding spot. Just then, an idea came to me.

"I think I know where we could hide," I started to suggest. I pointed to the corner that was on the door's side, but it was too far to the left for someone to see from outside the door. "Hide over there. They won't see us there."

"But..."

"Just go!" I sharply commanded.

Joey obeyed and squatted down into the corner to hide. I took care of the lights and joined him. The room was dark and silent. Joey shook and sweated, while I stayed still and held my breath. Now, I started to get really scared but not as much as Joey. Any minute, someone could burst in here.

"I-is this like the Kalm massacre?" Joey nervously asked.

"Dunno. It's hard to tell. My father and I left the room before we saw too much. I saw a few of my relatives get shot and a lot of corpses. There was also a strong smell of bl..."

The sound of a bomb setting off caused me to pause. Joey screamed and cringed.

"Shhh! It's okay. They won't find us," I whispered.

"What if they do!?" Joey whispered back.

"They won't. Let's just not think about it."

"Let's at least do one thing."

"What?"

"If we got a secret, we better say it now in case one or both of us don't make it out alive."

This caught me off guard. My stomach started to feel queasy. It felt as if we were getting ready to say our last words, about to get shot any minute.

"Look, if you're uncomfortable I can start out. You don't have to tell me if you don't want."

I thought about it for a moment before I could decide. "Okay, you start out first."

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I had always thought I knew Joey, but I was a bit wrong. I couldn't believe I hadn't noticed some things about him. One secret was about admitting he got in a fist fight with Bruner once. I was a bit shocked by that, because Joey didn't seem like the kind of person who would punch someone, no matter how much a jerk he was. His secrets flooded my mind.

"I even had a crush on Luesa for a short time," Joey went on. My eyes widened. "What? You have to admit she's hot."

"Well... I sort of had a crush on her, I have to admit, but I'm over it now. It was only a short time before I stopped thinking of her as my crush," I shamefully admitted.

"Was that one of your secrets?"

"Yeah, but I forgot about that secret. It's been so long now."

"Okay, now tell me about yourself."

I suddenly felt another queasy feeling. I was hoping he would forget to ask. I didn't want to tell him, but this may be my last chance. This may be our last day. Besides, all my emotions have been killing me and I really needed to tell someone. I waited a minute to gain courage. I was waiting for myself to force the words out.

"There's something I've wanted to tell you for a long time, but I always chickened out at the last minute."

"What is it?"

"Do you promise you can handle it? It's really bad."

"How bad?"

"REALLY bad! So bad that it's gonna take all my strength to tell you."

"I'll listen. I'm ready. Is something bothering you?"

My body shook. My heart beat rapidly. I knew this was going to be hard. "It's about my life... with my uncle and aunt... after... the Kalm massacre took place."

I told Joey everything I could think of about it. I told him about the beatings, the name calling, and all the torture I went through for so many years. I was pouring my soul out. My abuse was ten times worse last year than it was at the moment. I mentioned all the details of all the pain I went through even though I didn't think Joey would take it very well. I admitted that Luesa wasn't my aunt, but a social worker and detective looking into the case.

When I finished the story, Joey's face was filled with pure shock. Even in the dark, I could tell the colour had drained from his face. His eyes were as wide was dinner plates. His mouth reached the floor. I was bawling as I told him, and kept bawling even after I was done. I was shocked my own reaction to my story. I hadn't cried in years no matter what Uncle did to me. I was taught that in order to be a man, you couldn't cry. Joey couldn't bear to watch me cry so he looked away.

We didn't say a single word after I finished. Joey was too shocked to say a word and I was too weak at the moment to say anything else. After a LONG silence, Joey finally said something.

"I... had no idea." Tears were building in his eyes. It was as if he saw me being tortured. "I heard about adults abusing kids but... I never heard anything as bad as this. I thought... this kind of deed could only be performed by a demon."

"My uncle IS a demon," I sobbed.

"Why haven't you told your dad or Luesa!?"

"I told father but he didn't believe me. I told him two times and gave up, and I'm too scared to tell Luesa. Jonathon's threats have really gotten to me."

"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOUR DAD DIDN'T BELIEVE YOU!"

"Shhhhhh! They might hear us."

We waited a while to make sure Joey's yelling didn't draw the shooter's/shooters' attention.

"Joey, there's one more thing I need to tell you."

"I-I don't know if I can take any more. I already heard enough! It's... unbearable to hear more. If we make it out alive, I'll make sure your uncle and aunt rot in jail for what they did to you!"

"Please!" I begged. "It's been killing me! If I can't tell you, then who can I tell? I swear if I don't tell someone, I'll commit suicide any minute!" More tears dripped down my cheeks.

My suicide threat made him silent for a moment, but he eventually gained the courage to ask, "What is it?"

"I never told ANYBODY this. It's... embarrassing."

"Try me."

"There was this guy named Andrew Scott. He was one of Jonathon's closest friends. They're even personally business partners of a company. Anyway, after the Kalm massacre, the government feared that whoever killed my family would come after other important wealthy people and families that made their government so powerful. Many business bosses, wealthy families, and anyone else they thought was important was relocated into another town or city and heavily hidden. My family and I were their greatest concern. Whenever my aunt or uncle had to go somewhere, like if something came up at one of the businesses, they either had to be heavily guarded or keep a VERY low profile. My father was also included. It took a lot of persuading for the government to let him go to work in his lab by himself every now and then. I, on the other hand, was cooped up in the mansion to stay protected.

"Then one year after the Kalm massacre, Andrew was placed with us for a while. Jonathon was thrilled. Vernica didn't mind too much. I don't know how Father would have reacted to the situation. He was still gone. He left when I was seven and never came back until I was ten. So I was left with Vernica, Jonathon, and... Andrew.

"On the first night he started living with us, he came into my room when I was in bed. He... did some "things" that made me uncomfortable. I didn't understand what he was doin' so I didn't fight him. I was only seven. I didn't know better. I couldn't tell if it was appropriate or not. Each night he would come into my room more and more. The sexual abuse got worse and worse each night. It even got to the point where he... he... would do the worst to me. He... he... sometimes... made me..." I paused, unsure if I should finish the sentence. It was too unbearable to finish so I decided to start on another sentence. "For six years I had to put up with going to bed, worrying about him coming into my room. Jonathon was already making my life hell and so was Andrew. It was like hell except two times worse.

"Jonathon didn't do anything about it and neither did Vernica so I was stuck with this problem. I never told Father because I didn't know if it was appropriate or not. For a while... I was... so confused. My emotions were starting to engulf me. I prayed for my father to come and rescue me, but he never did.

"When I was thirteen, it all finally stopped. Andrew moved out once he was free to move to his own home. The only reason I managed to live with myself after that was because Jonathon's beatings and Vernica's insults kept me busy. I still remembered it, but even after that Jonathon was already making me miserable to the maximum so it didn't make much of a difference. I thought of killing myself tons of time but I never had the courage. Maybe it was because of Jonathon's threats. I don't know. I don't know why I never killed myself even though I badly desired to die. So now I'm stuck putting up with this pain... alone. I just..."

Then, I noticed I was sobbing hard and shaking. Strange. I didn't even notice myself doing this. My own tears were threatening to drown me. I just sat there and sobbed some more. I was sobbing so hard I could barely breathe. My heart and chest ached. The pain kept eating at me like a leech. This "leech" ate at me, like it was punishing me for blurting out my secret.

I glanced up at Joey. His face was full of pure pity. Crud, I shouldn't have told him. I didn't want him to have to put up with my troubles.

Joey opened his mouth, getting ready to say something, but he was cut off by the door being bashed open. Both of us screamed and jumped in chorus. The door landed clear on the other side of the room. A man with a rifle walked in, and pointed his gun towards us.

"Found you!" the man harshly said.

I couldn't see what he looked like in the dark. I didn't know how to react because I was in shock. Joey trembled and didn't say a word. The mysterious man flipped on the light switch and kept pointing his rifle towards us.

_NO! IT CAN'T BE!_

He trooped towards us, and gave me a harsh kick in the stomach.

"GET UP!!! BOTH OF YOU!!! GET MOVING!!!

The man smacked me across the side of my stomach with his rifle. The blow caused me to fly sideways and land on Joey. If I got through this, I was definitely going to feel that for a while. I moaned loudly and both my hands embraced the place where the rifle had hit me. It's a miracle he didn't crack a rib. Joey glanced down on me to see if I was okay. That hurt like heck!

"GET UP BEFORE I SHOOT YOU TWO RIGHT HERE!!!"

We both obeyed, even though I felt a lot of pain, but I was so scared, I forgot about it for a moment. Shock must have hit me. Joey and I went in single file with the man leading us from behind. I didn't look back at him. I bet he had his gun pointed at us. I thought I would never see another one of those soldiers again. I thought it all would be over since the Kalm massacre ended. But... I was wrong. So the rumours Lenny had told me were true.

**It might be a short while before I update because I might take a small break. I've been having some stress so I may need to relax for a little while. I doubt the next update will take too long. It might take two weeks. We'll see. It depends on how long I'll rest and how many reviews I get..**


	17. Promise

**Author's Note: Updates might start to be a bit slower because I might work on another fanfic about Axel. I don't know if updates will suffer too much because in a week or two I'll be in study hall (yeah!), which means more time to update. **

**I don't know how good this chapter is gonna be because some parts I wrote in here were done late at night and I had a cold, so sorry if the chapter sucks. I hope it doesn't suck. **

Thought you could hide from us, huh?"

I tried not to make eye contact with the soldier who was probably the leader. I stood straight up like I was a cadet. From the corner of my eye, I watched Joey stand straight up, and tremble. The gun-wielding soldiers that surrounded us weren't helping Joey much. This was all my fault. Because of me, Joey was being pulled into this.

"Now, we finally have you in our clutches." The leader began to circle around me like a tiger about to strike his prey. "So what are you gonna do? Right now you're as good as gone." Our eyes connected when he stopped in front of me.

After a moment of silence, I finally commanded, "Let Joey go. He can't do anything to you guys, and you have no need to keep him hostage if you've already got me, so why imprison him?"

"We can't risk him revealing anything to the police. What does it matter anyway? We've already killed countless students here, so why bother? We've already captured you and that's all we came here for."

Two soldiers dragged a couple of girls into the cafeteria with us. Tears ran down their cheeks. Panic and terror filled their eyes. The two soldiers kept gripping their shoulders.

Like all the other soldiers, a helmet hid the leader's face, so I couldn't see his expression. Heck, I could barely tell what his body features were. Futuristic armour covered it all.

The leader lifted his arm and had two of his fingers close together, then he snapped them. On command, the other soldiers drew out their guns and aimed them at the girls' heads.

"Please!!! Stop!!!" I begged.

Ignoring my plead, the soldiers pulled the trigger. Two gunshots rang throughout the cafeteria at the exact same time. Blood splattered on to the floor, and on the soldiers' armour. The girls collapsed, leaving a huge puddle of blood.

I gazed in horror at the scene. I was too shocked to speak. What really sickened me was when the leader chuckled at this horrific scene.

"W-why!?" This was all I could say. Not another word made its way out of my mouth.

"Why does it matter?"

"Y-you guys... k-k-killed my family!!! You... h-hunted us d-d-down!!! You f-forced us into... hiding!!! Y-you ruined my l-last chance to be normal!!! You murdered these poor people!!! YOUR RUINED MY LIFE!!! WHY!?"

"That's classified," the soldier cruelly said.

Enraged, I started to charge towards the leader. Bad move. He drew his gun at me, forcing me to reverse.

"Ah, ah, ah." He waved his finger at me. "That's not the Valentine way. I thought you people were more civilized than this."

My eyes burned from rage. I felt like I was on fire, threatening to punch his lights out. This rage even caused me to shake. '_Kill him... kill him... kill him...' _echoed in my head over and over and over again. All I could think of were ways to kill him. Ways to make him pay. I didn't even care if I got murdered in the process. My fists were balled up, shaking from the fire that was building inside of me. Breathing was difficult because of this rage.

"Enough talk, let's get this over with," the leader pointed his gun towards Joey.

"PLEASE!!! DON'T KILL HIM!!! I'LL DO WHATEVER YOU WANT!!! JUST LEAVE HIM ALONE!!!"

Though I couldn't see the leader's expression, I could tell he was shocked with my loud plead. Even I was shocked. The words came out of nowhere. They didn't even form in my head. I said all of this without thinking. My throat began to feel sore. I've never yelled that much in my life. My throat wasn't built for yelling.

"Now, now," the leader scolded. "Yelling won't get you anywhere. What's so special about shorty here, anyway?"

Joey glared at him like he was possessed by a demon. His scared and friendly features became hostile and almost evil. His eyes narrowed to a glare. His face became red from anger. His fists were balled up and shaking, getting ready to strike. He almost looked just like Luesa when she had fought with Carter, "the vampire biker."

Crud, not again. There were some things I had learned to not do around Joey or to Joey.

1: Never hand out sweets when he's around, unless you want a hyper teen bouncing off the walls.

2: Never make fun of his father. Bruner learned this the hard way.

3: Never make fun of his inventions or he'll customize a robot to attack you with it later.

4: NEVER, EVER, call Joey short, shorty, tiny, etc.

In the blink of an eye, Joey had rashly punched the leader in the face. The leader went flying clear across the room backwards. A cafeteria table that was sitting out broke his fall. The table was crushed to pieces as the man came down on it. The leader moaned something I couldn't understand. All the other soldiers were shocked from the scene.

Normally, I would be in shock too, but we were in a life or death situation right now, so I just shook my head to recover. I ran over to Joey who was gazing at the fist he'd used to knock the leader down, shocked.

"Did I do that?" Joey asked all dazed out. I didn't reply. Instead, I grabbed him by the arm and led him to a hall before the soldiers recovered in time.

"Hey!!! They're getting away!!!"

Great! Now we have soldiers on our tails.

Footsteps pounded behind us. This was a sign that the soldiers were following us. My eyes darted around to search for a way out. Gunshots made us pick up speed. Luckily, the bullets only hit the walls and the floor. A couple of bullets missed us by mere inches.

I began to panic. My heart beat rapidly. A sick feeling filled my stomach, a feeling of fear. The only thoughts filling my mind were of ways to escape. It almost felt like nothing around me mattered. Once I remembered Joey, I had an idea. I spotted a fork in the hallway ahead of us. This was our chance.

"Let's split up!" I swiftly suggested because I didn't want to waste much breath. "You go right! I'll go left!

"But..."

"GO!!!" I pushed Joey to the right hall as we approached the fork. Joey wobbled and nearly lost his balance. He swayed his arms to help steady himself. He managed to gain his balance in time. Just when he caught himself, he spun around towards me and started to gaze.

"I SAID GO!!!" I motioned him to get moving.

Joey immediately took my advice and took off running. I glanced behind me, and could see the soldiers running in my direction. There was only one thing left to do...

"Hey! Over here!" I spat in their direction to gain their attention.

My act must have worked because they came at me faster, enraged. Now all I had to do was lure them away from Joey. I dashed to the left hall, then made a turn to the right at the end of it. By the sound of their footsteps, they were following me. Good. Joey could now get out safely.

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I didn't know how long I'd been running. Fifteen minutes, maybe. My chest hurt from not giving myself a chance to breathe. My side began to cramp. I heavily panted and tried to force saliva in my mouth to keep it from drying out and making me wear down faster. My legs were beginning to lose speed, and started to refuse to run any longer. I glanced over my shoulder to see how many men were following me. Only one was left.

More shots rang out. To evade the bullets, I ducked, then made a sharp right turn at the end of the hall. If I hadn't trained with Luesa, hadn't been used to running from adults (like my uncle), or hadn't had to run after Joey a lot, I would have been dead already. With the soldier starting to catch up to me, I was beginning to run out of options. Just then, I had an idea.

A bucket full of water was lying on the floor, near the janitor closet like always. Good, just what I needed. As I ran past it, my hand snatched it to use later. I leapt to dodge a bullet that almost hit me in the back of the heel. This guy's aim was getting worse by the minute.

A few moments passed, while I patiently waited. Once I believed it was the right time, I spun around and dumped the mucky water on the floor. I didn't waste a second to keep running, but I still kept glancing over my shoulder to see if my plan was working.

The soldier slipped on the water, falling into my trap. A shot was accidentally fired as he slipped. The bullet damaged the ceiling and caused tiny bits of it to crumble off. He lay there and moaned. I grinned at my success. I faced my eyes ahead just in time to bump into something... er, I mean make that someone. The impact sent me falling backwards, causing me to land on my butt. I rubbed at my forehead from were I bumped it, then looked up from the floor.

"Joey!?"

Joey looked up at me (I must have knocked him down, too). "Oh, hi, Vince," Joey lightheartedly greeted.

"I told you to run!"

"Sorry... those armoured guys blocked all the other exits. There's supposed to be a door back here that leads outside. I figured they wouldn't know about it so I headed here and... bumped into you after that last turn."

I glanced at the hallway that was right next to us. I couldn't believe it. I'd been here a little longer than him and I was an official private school student (that's what the private snobs would say. They said the students from the public school weren't official private school students. Just unwanted guests.), and I didn't even know about this hall. Wow, Joey knows more than I thought. No wonder I didn't see him coming.

Before I could say another word, I could hear footsteps coming from behind us. Panic filled my mind. I had to think fast.

"RUN!!" I commanded loudly as I jumped to my feet.

"What?" Joey used his hands to help him slowly get up.

"Run! He's comin'!"

"Wha..."

"Where's the back door you were talking about?"

"Behind..." Joey pointed behind him with his thumb then I cut him off because that was all I needed to know.

"Good! Now hide here!" I shoved Joey into a classroom that already had its door open. Joey went tumbling backwards and landed inside like I planned. "Once I lure the guy away, you sneak out and head for the door. That should buy you enough time."

"But..."

"JUST DO IT!!" I slammed the door swiftly then took off running. As I ran, the shock of yelling at Joey hit me. I had never yelled at Joey this much. EVER. We barely even argued. Normally, when I shouted at him, it would be if he had gotten me mad by doing something like throwing a snowball at me or if he had done something stupid, like when we were skating on the road and Joey almost got hit by a car. I saved him by jumping off my skateboard and diving at him. The car barely missed us.

My adrenaline was beginning to wear down. My super speed and lungs were beginning to disappear. It was no surprise. I ran for several minutes without any break. I climbed many flights of stairs, and ran through probably every hall in this large school. To make the run worse, I even saw many corpses of students, reminding me of how dangerous my situation was. Why did this always happen to me?

I detected a hall at the left, my last chance. I stopped right there, then spun around to see if the soldier was still after me. Both unfortunately for me and fortunately for Joey, he was, dripping wet and probably dripping mad.

I sidestepped out of a bullet's way, then ran down to the left hall.

"Kid, you're really starting to get on my nerves!!!" I heard the armoured soldier shout.

This was my huge and last mistake. Up ahead, there was a dead end, no classrooms to hide in, and no other way out. A queasy feeling knotted my stomach. This was the end, but I still kept running until I was at the dead end. I turned around and helplessly watched my enemy come towards me. My back made contact with the wall as I reversed.

"No way out. No hard feelings, right, kid?"

_Will he stop calling me kid? I'm a teenager, and almost old enough to drive._

There was one solution but it was risky. Though this was a dead end, the hall was kind of wide so I might have a chance. I could try to run around the soldier and... I had a twenty... no, ten percent of chance to survive, but it was worth a shot.

After taking a few more breaths, I dashed towards the soldier.

"Wha' the..." The soldier recovered and aimed at me, but as I approached him, I swung my arm up at the gun so the bullet would hit the ceiling. As planned, the bullet left a small hole in the ceiling. I went around him, and then tried to run down the hall. I glanced over my shoulder and could see him with his gun aimed at me. I was as good as dead so I closed my eyes. My legs kept running on instinct. My life began to flash through my eyes. Fear overwhelmed me. Time seemed to freeze. My heart beat way more rapidly. If the bullet didn't kill me first, a heart attack would. My body went numb, sensing death. The surroundings around me began to fade away from my world

What I heard next could have easily been predicted, but something was strange about it. Footsteps pounded. A shoot sounded. There was also a grunt of pain. I must have been so scared that my body reacted without my brain telling it what to do.

That was when I stopped right there to prepare for my fall. I waited a few moments for the pain to sink in but I didn't feel anything. Was I in too much shock to feel anything? Had he shot me in the head, and immediately sent me to the Lifestream? I opened my eyes to check and saw that there was no blood on me at all! Not even a hole was made in my body. I slowly rotated to face the soldier and saw something shocking.

Joey was lying atop the soldier, limp and almost lifeless. A pool of blood spilled beneath Joey and on the soldier. Bloops of blood covered both sides of the wall. I then realized Joey had taken the hit for me. He must have run past me while I had my eyes closed. Damn his speed. It'd gotten him shot!

"GET OFFA ME!!!" The soldier used his rifle to knock Joey off of him. Joey slammed against the wall and groaned. The soldier slowly got up while I stood there helpless. I could see Joey mouth me to run, but I just couldn't. A blend of emotions filled me at once. My body seemed to be pulled in different directions, not knowing what to do. Fear told me to run, and that I wouldn't be able to do anything for him now. Anger told me to run at the soldier and punch his lights out for shooting Joey, throwing him against a wall, and chasing me around. Sorrow told me Joey was as good as gone. Hope told me to run at the soldier to save Joey. He might still be alive. Confusion kept me from running away, charging, or even thinking straight.

I came back to reality and saw the soldier already up, and charging at me with his rifle. He was enraged and annoyed. I trembled. I was doomed.

Suddenly, bullets were driven into the soldier's arm. He let out a blood-curling scream then gripped his arm. Luesa came from behind me with Quicksilver (her favourite gun) in hand. She jump-kicked at the soldier's head and sent his helmet flying off of him while he was distracted by his wound. The soldier landed on his back, and more blood spilled out on the floor. Luesa's foot was placed on his chest, keeping him from getting up, then Luesa put her barrel directly on his forehead. She pulled the trigger, leaving more bloodshed. The soldier died instantly. This all happened so fast, it took me a moment to take it all in.

My feet acted on their own as they directed me to Joey. The knot in my stomach got worse as I got closer to the pools of blood. A whiff of blood filled my nostrils. I had thought I would never have to smell the blood of someone close to me again. I knelt by Joey, and embraced him. Pain covered his eyes, hiding the jolly Joey I knew. Blood dyed part of his school uniform to dark red. It looked like the bullet had hit him somewhere either on the upper stomach or his chest somewhere. Tears filled my eyes, then dripped down to my cheeks. My sobs and the sound of blood dripping on the floor filled my ears. I could have sworn my heart even stopped.

"Joey..." It was hard for me to say a word to him. My sobbing nearly clumped the words in my throat. "That was a stupid thing you did. Why do you always have to do retarded things, huh?"

Joey smirked. "Vincent?" Shock slightly tugged at me as he said my real name. He's only called me Vin, V, and Vince. He'd NEVER called me Vincent, not even once.

"Yeah? Are... are you alright?" I was so scared about what was going to happen next that I probably could have vomited.

"I... I'm fine. You look terrible, man. Are you feeling okay?" Joey smiled a weak smile.

"Y-yeah, I'm okay." Just then, I think my heart started beating. My sentences were beginning to be a bit broken up from me trying to hold back my sobs. "Can ya get up?"

"S-sorry, no."

"Hang in there. Luesa and I will get you out of here, and get you to the hospital."

"Thanks for helping me in the past. You did more than I got to ever pay you back. I'm glad you were my best friend... no, my brother."

"No prob... I'm glad, too."

His smile turned into a grimace. Nausea swept through my body as I watched more of his school blazer turn to a dark red.

"You'll be alright," I assured him. My heart seemed to pull to a stop once more. I could feel daggers stab all parts of my body with each breath I took.

"Thanks. You're so kind and generous." I could feel Joey's body temperature began to turn cold, and his heartbeat became fainter by the moment.

My face was drenched by my tears.

"Hey, Vince?" Joey whispered.

"Hmm?" I barely managed to say.

"Man, you mean so much to me. I will always love you as my brother. Don't let them keep us apart, okay?"

I didn't know what he was talking about, but I was willing to agree with anything. "Sure, I'll ride in the ambulance with you."

Joey shook his head. "That's not what I meant, and you know it. Promise?"

Still struggling to both talk and breathe, I agreed, "Promise." Joey used the last of his strength to smile just one more time. His eyes peacefully closed. His body temperature turned severely cold.

With panic controlling my movements, I shook him with his face only centimetres away from mine. "JOEY!! JOEY!! DON'T DIE!! WAKE UP!! NO!! PLEASE, DON'T LEAVE ME A..."

It was pointless to finish my sentence. He was gone. My friend was dead. Although my heart knew this, my brain refused to believe it. I stopped shaking him, and stared in disbelief at my friend's corpse.

Luesa knelt beside us then grabbed Joey's left arm. She put her finger just below his palm to feel for a pulse. She frowned then announced, "He's gone. I'm sorry."

With sorrow, anger, and frustration getting the best of me, I shouted, "SHUT UP!! SHUT UP!! WHAT DO YOU KNOW!!?? WHAT DO YOU KNOW!!??" With my face in his chest, I sobbed and called out his name until my voice finally became completely hoarse. My calls were never answered.

**Sorry about half of the fanfic being rushed. I was high on sugar when I wrote half of it and I had to hurry because I was suppose to make up my homework. **


	18. The Funeral

**Important author's note: First, I'm changing Vernica's name to Veronica. I got the name when I misspelled Veronica, and thought I liked it, but I figured Veronica would be better. I'll try to fix her name in past chapters whenever I get the chance. Also read the note at the end of the chapter. I really need you to see it. There's a fanfic I want you guys to know about. It's by a friend of mine. I would tell you now but I want to get to the story first. Enjoy!**

"C'mon, Vincent! We gotta go!" Luesa kept pulling me by the arm.

"NO!" I shouted loudly, while I still clung to Joey for dear life. I kept struggling to get free of Luesa's grip, but she refused to let go.

"Shhhh! Don't yell. It'll only attract more unwanted guests." Luesa continued to pull at me, but I kept my grip.

"I don't care! I just want to be with Joey!" I clung on to Joey tighter as Luesa's pulls grew stronger and more forceful.

"He's dead, Vincent!" Luesa's voice became as sharp as a knife as she said this. "There's no point in staying! We can get his corpse out later! Right now, we need to get outta here!"

"No! No! He's still alive! He's alive!" My throat hurt from screaming so much today. My heart dropped as Joey's temperature started to become icy cold. This made me sob harder. All this sobbing was starting to make my head throb. My face was soaked in tears and sweat (from running so much) and my heart pounded heavily. I still didn't believe it. My first real friend couldn't be dead. I already had hardly any reason to live, so it felt pointless to go on if he was dead.

"Listen! Joey sacrificed himself for you! Do you want this to mean nothing!? Luesa asked extremely sharply.

"N-no..." I could barely get another word out. My sobs clogged the words in my throat. My throat was worn out. I struggled to breathe, and find another reason to live. Right now, I had a severe case of sorrow.

"Then let's go. I know it's hard, but if we're going to leave, we better do it now."

"J-just go! Leave me here!" I said in a very raspy and low tone. Luesa stopped tugging at me, but she still kept her grip on my arm.

"No, when I got a call from the police department about the shooting, I drove my bike all the way here to make sure you and everyone else made it out alive. You can't give up now. Like I said, Joey gave up something very precious to him for you and..."

"He shouldn't have done that!" I managed to say in a low tone. I would have yelled at her at the top of my lungs but I didn't have the strength. "It's not like I have much to live for. He has tons of friends, while I have hardly any. He has a nice family, while I don't have much of a family left. I hardly have anything to live for. He did! Why did he do that!? I would have died for him any day, but why..."

"If you would die for him, then why can't you live for him?" Luesa calmly questioned.

No answer formed in my head. I didn't know what to say. This question caught me off guard. Even after a few moments of thinking, I still couldn't get an answer.

"You're not alone, Vincent. I'm here for you."

My stubbornness lessened. I saw no point in clinging to Joey like a helpless victim. My body trembled as I slowly released Joey. I didn't want my friend to be here alone, but I just couldn't... take it. I just didn't want to look at him then. His bullet hole and bleeding was enough evidence to remind me that this was all my fault. After a lot of shaking and more sobbing, I let Joey drop to the ground. Though I no longer had hold of him, I sat there on my knees and continued to stare at his corpse for one last time. Luesa gently pulled me to my feet, and made me face her.

"You ready?" She asked.

I simply nodded. My throat was too sore to speak.

"Good, let's go."

At the same time, I followed her out the dead end hall, and watched Joey's corpse fade further and further away from me. Once we were out of the dead ended hall, we spotted a door deep at the end of the other hall.

"You ready?" Luesa asked.

"Yes," I said so softly that I barely heard myself say it.

"Alright, let's go." Luesa softly grabbed me by the arm, and lead me out.

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Things got worse when Luesa and I finally made it outside. Only seconds after we stepped out the back doors, we were mobbed by news reporters. Luesa continued to lead me by the arm, and helped me make my way through the mob. The new reporters ringed around us, barely giving us space. I heard a bunch of them ask me a million questions at once as they crowded us, shoved microphones in our faces, and kept flashing the cameras, but none of the sentences made it to my brain. My world seemed to detach itself from everything and everyone else. My surroundings seemed to fade around me as I got lost in my thoughts. Nothing around me seemed to matter anymore. I felt like a phantom that was doomed to wander in an alternate universe; so close to the real world, yet so far. The wall that separated me from the rest of the world was thin.

I didn't want to believe Joey was dead. I couldn't take much more pain. My once sad filled and aching body turned numb, like my nerve cells stopped working. The only things running in my brain were questions.

_Why did this happen? Why to Joey? Why to me? What have we done to deserve this? It's not fair!_

My thought bubble was popped when Luesa sharply commanded, "ALRIGHT! ALRIGHT! Give him some room!" She stretched out her arms to motion the reporters to move away. "He's been through a lot, and you have no business bothering him right now."

A group of police officers rushed inside the school, armed.

"How do you feel about the shooting occurring because of your attendance at this school?" One of the male news reporter, probably only in his early thirties, asked, despite Luesa's command.

"What?" I barely managed to say.

"The soldiers came terrorizing the school, demanding where you were. What connection do you have with those terrorists?"

I didn't say a word. From the corner of my eyes, I watched Luesa, hoping she would help me out, but she was too busy scaring the other news reporters away.

"You didn't know?" The news reporter kept questioning.

"How many?"

"What?"

"How many people died?"

"Let me see..." The news reporter flipped through many pages of his notebook. "Ah, here we go. So far it seems the school lost thirty-eight students and four teachers."

My heart dropped in guilt. A knot tightly formed in my stomach until I had a bad stomach ache. My heart quickly ached. I could almost feel the tears forming in the back of my eyes. This all hit me so hard, I felt like I was going to throw up.

"Well, what are you going to do about this guilt you have on your shoulders?" The reporter continued to question.

Before I could punch the guy's lights out, a hand snatched him by the arm and viciously gripped it. Luesa had her eyes only a few inches from his.

"Leave... the... poor... guy... alone," Luesa slowly and sharply commanded, trying to make sure he got the message.

I couldn't take this anymore. Without thinking for a second, I ran towards the crowd, and pushed people out of the way. It wasn't only reporters in the crowd. There were other students, doctors, nurses, some worried families, and maybe even some people just there to watch the tragedy.

"Vince, come back!" Luesa called.

I looked over my shoulder and could see her following me. My feet picked up speed. I didn't want her to follow me. I just wanted to be alone. As I reached the school gate, someone grabbed me by the collar, and pulled me close to him.

"I knew this private school thing was a bad idea!" Jonathon sneered. "Let's go!" Jonathon tried to pull me into the limo put I pushed him away from me and managed to get out of his grip.

I glared at him so hard that my eyes burned and they hurt from narrowing so roughly. At first, Jonathon seemed shocked by my disobedience, but then he quickly recovered. "I said get in the limo NOW!!!" Jonathon stabbed the air with his finger as he pointed to the vehicle, which was right next to him.

I shook my head and kept glaring at him. "No," I said softly.

"W-what did you say!?"

"I said no."

"Get in the limo before I kill you."

"Then you would have no one to run the family business and fund the government," I reminded. "Then what? Once father, you, and Veronica are gone, I'll be the only one left, so what then?"

"I'm this close to wringing your neck." Jonathon raised his right arm with his thumb and index finger close together to show the measurement of his patience. "Get in or I'll drag you myself."

"I'd like to see you try."

"Alright! You asked for it!" Jonathon tried to grab me once more, but I kicked him in the knee. "YEEOWCH!!!" Jonathon yelped, and jumped up and down, hugging his knee.

Without checking to see if he recovered, I took off. I looked back one more time, and saw Luesa glare at Jonathon for a moment, then went back to running after me. I faced my eyes back ahead of me, and luckily spotted a bus. I slid to a stop right next to it, then jumped right in before the door quickly closed and the bus took off. I dropped some change in the fare box, and took a seat. Hardly anyone was aboard. The only people on were an old lady, probably in her late sixties, a mom with a seven year old and a ten year old, and a middle-aged man. I made no eye contact with either of them as I took an empty seat. I watched Luesa through the window, and could see her stand where the bus had been. She knew there was no point to chase after me now.

What Joey had said earlier echoed through my head. _"Almost forgot, how 'bout we head to Northsky Falls again right after school?"_

_"Sure, but I don't know how long I can stay."_

_"Maybe we can finally get that boulder in the cave to move."_

_"Yeah right. We tried countless times already. I doubt if it didn't open then, then it won't open now. We need more help in order to do it, and we don't want anyone else to know about the place, do we?"_

_"Yeah, you're right. It's our job to protect the place, after all."_

_"I would really like to sit by the shore again today. I really need some rest."_

_"Alright, like we always do first thing."_

"Northsky Falls..." I muttered myself in thought.

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The ocean-like breeze blew my long bangs in my eyes as I approached the shore. Nothing had changed. The shore's waves danced gracefully. Thousands of trees still covered the area. All trees still had flowers that showed a sign of spring. The waterfalls fell in their usual pattern, and landed in the watery bottom. The shore's sand was colored white and perfectly even. It didn't even show any signs of Joey and me sitting there (the wind most have covered them). I took a seat on the shore, where I usually sat and stared out into the distance.

I didn't know why exactly I had come here. Maybe I was so desperate for Joey to come back, I hoped he would somehow already be sitting there, waiting for me, and say, "Hey, Vince! Guess what? I didn't die after all! It was just a sick joke!" Maybe I thought this pain and misery were so unbearable it seemed unreal, and I figured I was dreaming a very sick, twisted, and miserable nightmare. I wished I could just wake up and this would all disappear, but I knew I felt too much pain for it to be a dream. Whatever the reason I had come, I was here now.

I felt my heart drop as reality struck me. Joey was never coming back. He'd never again be there to comfort me when I was stressed at school. He'd never again be able to crack a hilarious joke, when inside I was grieving over the pain of the torture I'd have at home. We'd never be able to graduate high school together. He'd never be there to enjoy college with me. He'd never be able to stand by me when I become adult, and help me overcome new challenges. He'd never be able to be my best man at my wedding. He'd never be there to hold my newborn child after my wife gave birth to him or her. He'd never be there for us to set play dates for our kids. He'd never be able to stand by me and watch our kids leave for college and live on their own. He'd never be able to share memories, both good, bad, sad or funny, when we turn into old geezers. For now on, I was on my own. Now, I had to put up with my problems by myself, and I was doomed to come back to Northsky Falls, and be repeatedly reminded that Joey was gone forever. He was really gone.

There was almost no point in holding my sobs any longer, and I immediately broke down. I wept so hardly that I was starting to make myself sick. My stomach hurt, my heart felt like it was being stabbed by needles over and over, and my head once again throbbed. Guilt, regret, distress, loneliness, agony, sorrow, and fear of what would happen in the future hit me all at once. All this emotion made it feel like I was going to explode. There's only so much I can take. I realized I deserved the abuse at home. All I ever did was make people miserable. All I did was mess up. I wasn't good enough for anyone. I doubted I'd be able to find love. If I wasn't good enough, how could Father love me? How would I date? How would I get married? How would I ever be happy?

Once I ran out of tears, fear gave me a good punch in the stomach. I couldn't stay at Northsky Falls forever. People would come looking for me. But I couldn't go home either. If I showed my face around the mansion, I would be dead. After a lot of thought, I decided to head home. This place brought back too many memories. Now, I was the only one left to protect it, but I just couldn't stay here forever.

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As I cautiously approached the mansion, I tried to think of people who would help me through this pain. There were only a few people left who cared about me right now: Lenny, Luesa, Wayne, Stacy, and Josh. The sun had already left, and was replaced by a half formed moon. No stars were out. The city lights and a few light in the mansion were the only thing lighting the area. I stood in front of the well-carved, wooden door and tried to think of ways to escape the torture Jonathon would be putting me through. If it weren't for my lack of knowledge of the city, I would have just ran away and never come back. I would just... disappear. After I gulped and took a few deep breaths, I pushed the door open, and carefully walked inside.

Nobody seemed to be home, but I could still feel panic rise in me. My heart beat rapidly. All this fear caused me to have to struggle to breathe. My position almost felt like it was from a horror movie, when the beast would attack its victim any minute, but only this time it was real. A queasy feeling filled my stomach. I trembled as I walked, making it hard to stand up straight. When I was near the stairs, I stopped dead in my tracks as I heard footsteps behind me. I immediately jumped and spun around to see who came in.

"DO YOU ENJOY HUMILIATING ME!!!???" Jonathon shouted as he came stomping towards me.

Normally, I would be scared to death, but something was different this time. I think I was mostly too upset about Joey's death to care about what was happening. I even felt a strange burning feeling, anger.

Once Jonathon was standing right in front of me, he got ready to punch me. Instead of showing him fear, I just put my eyes on the ground and tried not to flinch. I had had a REALLY bad day today and I was not in the mood for him to mess with me. I waited a few moments for him to make his hit, but nothing happened. I glanced up to see what was up. For some reason, Jonathon lowered his arm and pointed his finger towards the stairs instead.

"Go upstairs before I kill you!" Jonathon commanded.

My eyes narrowed to a glare. My body fiercely shook. Flames built up in my eyes. My thoughts became angrier and darker within seconds. My fists balled up on instinct. I almost was in the mood to murder someone. ALMOST.

"GO!"

"No," I said so softly it was nearly a whisper.

"What did you say!?"

"I said no!" This time my voice was louder. My throat was still a bit sore, but it had had enough time to recover from all the screaming I had done today.

"You f$ son of a #$#! Go up there now!"

"Go to hell!"

"What did you say!?" Jonathon's voice sounded murderous, but I still didn't move a muscle.

"I SAID GO TO HELL YOU MOTHER $$$#!!!"

"I'LL MAKE YOU PAY FOR THAT!!!"

When Jonathon's fist approached my face, my instincts and what Luesa taught me kicked in, and I grabbed his fist. Normally I would squeeze it before I threw my victims, but I had to act fast. Before Uncle could react, I used his own fist against him by sharply rotating to the left, and released his fist, sending him flying towards a desk. Jonathon came crashing down on the desk. The desk was crushed under his weight. I didn't even wait for him to get up. I ran towards my room, not even bothering to look back. I slammed my bedroom door behind me, and twisted the lock. I grabbed everything I could carry/drag to the door: books, my nightstand, my dresser, and a small stool. I didn't have much in my small room so I didn't have much to barricade the door. Just in case the lock and the stuff in front of the door weren't enough, I pressed my hands against the door, prepared to keep my uncle out.

A rough knock was made on the door. He shouted some curses at me and kept pounding the door, but I still kept pushing down on the door. The doorknob jiggled. It finally got to the point were Jonathon tried to knock down the door. It was beginning to be difficult to hold down the door. My palms began to sweat. The muscles in my arms began to strain. My feet even began to slide across the carpet as the door moved. After three to four minutes of struggle, Jonathon shouted a few curses at me, muttered a few curses towards himself, and I heard his footsteps, meaning he was leaving.

I immediately collapsed from relief, and tried to catch up on my breathing. That was really frightening. Who knows what he would have done to me if he got the chance. For another five minutes, I sat there in front of the door, trying to calm myself from what had just happened. Once I finally calmed down, I remembered Joey and began to sob some more. Even though I used up most of my tears, I somehow managed to cry.

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The rain poured down on the city heavily, making the day even more depressing. The sky color was almost silver gray. All the streets had countless puddles covering them. The rain was drenching me as I walked, but I didn't care. There was too much on my mind. As I stared down on my black suit, a memory I could never forget came flashing.

_The room was empty except for Jonathon, Veronica, my father, the priest, and me. Many long chairs were perfectly aligned_._ Beautiful rainbow colors shone through the church's stain glass windows. The only thing lighting the room besides the stain glass window's glimmer, were the many candles that were set on something that looked like a coffin. _

_The scene confused me. Veronica was wearing a plain, black dress with cuffed sleeves and it ended just a little above her ankles. Jonathon was wearing a black suit with a black bow tie. Father's suit was similar to Jonathon's, except his size was smaller. I don't remember exactly what I wore. I think I wore a black suit just like my father and Jonathon. _

_We sat on one of the long seats in the front to the right. The priest was saying some strange things like "Life goes on" or "Bless this family." Tears were filling Veronica's eyes. A pile of soaked tissues sat next to her. As Veronica sobbed, the pile got bigger and bigger. Jonathon sat between Father and Veronica with his arms crossed and a unique expression mixed with seriousness and sorrow. He just sat there and patiently waited for the priest to finish. I looked up and saw Father with tears in his eyes that he tried to hold back. I sat near on the left edge of the chair. _

_Once the priest finished the speech by saying "amen," Jonathon and Veronica stood up first. Father scooped me up into his arms, and joined them. _

_"What are we doing here, Father?" I asked._

_Father closed his eyes for a moment, probably trying to hold back tears. Then, he said, "This is a funeral. Do you know what a funeral is?"_

_I shook my head. Father opened his eyes and continued. _

_"Well, it's a type of ceremony that honors someone like a relative or a friend when they... pass on. You've been to a funeral a couple times, remember?"_

_I again shook my head. _

_"I'm not surprised. You were so young. The last one was your mother's funeral. You were probably only about four to five years old."_

_"Really? I don't remember. Whose is this one?"_

_"It's... the family's funeral. Re... remember that awful thing that happened a couple of days ago?"_

_I nodded._

_"We lost a lot of loved ones."_

_I thought about what he said for a minute, then asked, "Aren't the police men looking for them? How come they haven't found them? They were sleeping on the..."_

_"This is a different kind of loss called death. I wish I could tell you more, but you're too young to understand. Time will teach you death a lot better than me."_

_Father handed me to Jonathon and went over to the piano. He took a seat in front of it, then looked at Jonathon. "Are you sure I should be the one who does this?" Father asked._

_"Yes, in their honor," Jonathon replied. "We gotta make sure they rest in peace."_

_"Alright." Father positioned his hands on the keys, and repaired to play. Then he started playing the most beautiful song I heard _(1). _Not once was he off key. By the rhythm and the pleasant sound, he was putting his heart into it. When I first heard it I thought it was just a song, but little to I know it was more than that. It was the song "The Passing." It was traditionally played during a Valentine funeral. It honored our loved one's passing. _

I came back to reality when I was near the church. I ran towards it and couldn't wait to get out of the rain, and for my other friends to comfort me. The rainy night sky suited the funeral quite well. When I got to the door, I hesitated to go in because it felt like something could jump out at me right when I opened the door. Today was one of the worst days of my life. To make things worse, the funeral was on the same day my family died, April 31. Once I was prepared, I pulled the door open, and stepped inside. Ahead of me, I could see Wayne, Stacy, and Josh standing in front of Joey's coffin. Where Joey's relatives were was a mystery. I was excited to see them. After all, the shooting happened on a Friday, so the weekend kept us apart for a couple of days.

As I approached the coffin, my stomach dropped. I still wasn't over Joey. It all had just happened so fast, and Jonathon and Veronica weren't helping. They turned around and saw me. Instead of having kind faces, they had an expression of anger. This made my gut feel worse. I just had a bad feeling about what was going to happen next.

"You have a lot of nerve coming here!" Wayne harshly remarked.

"You've done enough damage!" Josh's voice wasn't much kinder.

Shock made me silent for a moment. How could my friends treat me this way?

"W-where's Mrs. Allen and Doug?" I asked, ignoring what they had just said.

"They're crying their eyes out in a room in the back, along with their relatives," Wayne replied.

Guilt twisted my stomach so badly, I felt like I was going to vomit. What he said made me even more afraid to face Mrs. Allen.

"Come back to ruin more lives?" Wayne quizzed. "You don't belong here."

"Why... how can you treat me this way!?"

"BECAUSE OF YOU, SIXTY-EIGHT STUDENTS AND FIVE TEACHERS DIED!!!" Wayne shouted.

"How's it my fault?" I quizzed. I knew it was my fault, but I wondered how he knew. I could feel tears building up behind my eyes. The death rate was a lot higher than I'd expected, causing me to nearly break down, but I somehow managed to maintain myself.

"Those thugs kept questioning people where you were, and shot them since they didn't have an answer. I wish I could..." Wayne was about to attack me, but Stacy stopped him by placing her arm in front of him.

"I-it wasn't my fault," I stammered.

"I was so your fault! I knew you were a no good, private snob. I knew you would give us trouble. I knew... get out."

"What?"

"I SAID GET OUT!!!"

His shout made me jump, but I still shook my head, and stayed were I was. "No, he's my friend, too."

"What kind of friend gets his friend killed? Poor Joey wasted his last months on you."

"I... you can't tell me what to do. This is Joey's funeral, not yours, so you have no right to give me orders."

"Fine, we'll do this the hard way." At light speed, Wayne snatched me by the arm and starting dragging me to the front door. His grip was so vicious that it felt like he was trying to rip my arm off. I tried to struggle, but it wasn't long before Josh joined in by grabbing my other arm. Josh helped Wayne drag me out faster, causing me to not have the chance to break away. Wayne yanked the door open fiercely. Before I could react, Josh and Wayne tossed me outside. I landed face-first in a mud puddle. I slowly got up and wiped the mud of my glasses. By the time I finished cleaning my glasses, the door was already closed. I jumped to my feet, and dashed towards the door. Both my hands wrapped around the knob and started pulling on it. The door wouldn't budge. Wayne and Josh either locked the door or were pulling on the other side.

For five minutes, I tried to pull on the door, but I couldn't get it to open. It never even moved an inch. I finally gave up, and stood there in shock. My friends had betrayed me. Now only Luesa and Lenny were left. Now, I was left to stand out there in the rain on my own, as I felt betrayed and alone.

**(1) The song he plays is the song from FFX-2. It's the song that plays after you turn on the playstation and before the main menu shows up. No, I don't own this song. I could never create anything that lovely.**

**Sorry I haven't updated lately. You guys won't believe what's been happening. I've been busy fixing past chapters, and thanks to **_**I Cyn I**_**'s help, the chapters should be better. I recently returned to study hall, and will have it for the rest of the year, so updates should speed up. Sorry this chapter was a bit rushed, but I really want to pick up on things. I'm trying to get this done before summer vacation. Okay, here is a fanfic I want to introduce to you guys. This one by my friend, **_**Lindsey 1276**_**. This fanfic is about Vincent after the events of **_**Take Back the Night**_**, and after DOC. Yes, she has my permission. **

**Here's her fanfic. TifaxVincent fans, you should like it. Please read. I suck at summarizing. She's only using what I have in **_**Take Back the Night**_** so far. She doesn't know what's going to happen in the future, so there shouldn't be any spoilers and the stuff she puts in it might not be accurate with what I'm going to put in **_**Take Back the Night**_**, but it's worth the read.**

Emotion

A lot of stress is filling Tifa until finally she loses it, and runs off to Aeris's church. Vincent and Cloud go after her and try to comfort her. After some struggle and a lot of talking she finally relaxes.

Later, Tifa enters an Art competition, and also drags Vincent, Cloud, and Shelke to enter. She also brings Marlene and Denzel at where the contest is being held. Vincent agrees to help, but there's one problem. It's being held in Tech City, Vincent's hometown (the place he lives after the Kalm massacre). To make things worse for Vincent, Tifa tries to get Vincent to tell her and the others more about himself. How will Vincent handle being confronted by his own past?

Meanwhile, Tifa has a secret reason why she's entering the contest. She says she's doing it for the prize money, but could it be for something more?

**I wish I could summarize it better but I suck at summaries. It's better than it sounds. I may be a bit inaccurate about the summary because it's not my fanfic, and I don't know what's going to happen in the future except for a few things. Don't be fooled by the lack of chapters. Things will pick up soon.**


	19. Wait For Me

**Sorry it took me so long to update and reply to reviews. For some reason, your reviews didn't show up on my status review thing until days later. Also, the Internet bill was due and my parents didn't know it, so I was left without Internet for a day. I'm trying people. Just bear with me. I'm working on three fanfics at once. Advice, don't work on three fanfics at once, especially when two are supposed to have many chapters.**

**Another problem is that lately my inspiration has been wandering away from me, and disappearing for a few days. I don't know what the deal is, sorry.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the song Pain by Three Days Grace.**

**Warning: Later in the chapter, there'll be a bit of sexual content and a bit of sexual dialogue and some other things that may offend you guys.**

**This will be the last chapter for now. I'll update again, but maybe not right away. I may take a short break from updating or I'll update on another fanfic.**

As I got closer to Mrs. Allen's apartment, my stomach turned. I wasn't sure if I should be here. If she answered the door, would she forgive me and let me in or just slam the door in my face? I rubbed my blackened eye, trying to come up with an excuse about it in case she asked. Jonathon still held a grudge about what happened a couple of days ago, and later got back at me my bruising my eye. I still felt guilty about both getting Joey killed and missing his funeral yesterday. That day I learned to hate more.

My fist shook as it was about to make contact with the door. I somehow forced it to knock on the door, and patiently waited for someone to answer. After a few minutes passed, there was still no answer. I began to wonder if Mrs. Allen and Doug were mad at me. I tried knocking again. I waited another three to four minutes and there was still no answer. I backed up off the doormat and lifted it. I removed the spare key under it (Mrs. Allen said I could use it for emergencies). I slipped the key in the keyhole and twisted it. The lock clicked open, letting me enter. Something didn't feel right as I slowly opened the door.

My heart dropped as I saw that the place was almost completely empty. Everything was gone: all the Allen's furniture, the pictures that used to hang on the walls, the rugs, everything! The only thing that was left was the kitchen counter attached to the wall. Tears filled my eyes. My heart ached. I felt sick. I collapsed on the floor from crying so hard. If I didn't know better, I would think that all this sobbing might make me sick, maybe even kill me.

How could I live through all this? I couldn't take it anymore! That was when I spotted it. On the counter laid a bottle of painkiller pills Joey got after fixing his teeth at the dentist to help relieve the pain. I went over to the counter, picked up the bottle, and studied the pills. This was perfect. This was my way out of all the pain. Nobody knew where I was and even if they had known, it would be too late. I felt terrible about using something that was Joey's for my own need, but once I returned to the planet, he'd understand. I just needed to swallow enough pills.

I twisted the cap off and poured a handful of pills on my palm. I wasn't scared. In fact, I felt happy and relieved. I could feel the intenseness rising. My heart beat faster and faster, daring me to overdose on the drug. I finally stopped sobbing and smiled. I was soon going to be free of all this pain forever. I would win in life. I would feel no more pain. I'd be back with Joey. Jonathon couldn't beat me, and Veronica's words couldn't stab me. I wouldn't cause more pain to anyone else. Father might, just might, pay attention to me. I'd be free.

Just before I was going to pop all the pills in my mouth, I spotted a letter that was pinned to the wall just above the counter. I curiously pulled the note off the wall with my free hand, and read it.

_Dear Vince,_

_Sorry we had to leave like this. I was going to tell you we were moving at the funeral, but you didn't show up for some reason. I would have called you, but you never told me your phone number. I know this is sudden, but I honestly didn't expect this to happen. _

_Doug got a special promotion at his job, and we really need the money. He was going to turn it down for Joey, but he's not here now and... I just can't stay here anymore. I have to admit that Doug's promotion wasn't the only reason I agreed to leave with him. It's just this place, it brings back too many memories of my baby. I can't stay three seconds in this building without thinking about him. I'm not exactly trying to forget about my son, Joey. I'm just saying it's not healthy for me to mourn over him so much, and he wouldn't want that. Even though I know he's back with his father, it's still hard to move on._

_Please don't be mad at us and understand. You're a very mature young man, so I'm hoping you understand. Don't worry. Things are going to go great. Doug is going to be paid handsomely, so now our lives will improve. I also got more good news. I'm pregnant! It's a miracle! The doctor said after my complication with Joey's birth, I couldn't have more. You just got to believe in miracles and your dreams and wishes may come true._

_Please take good care of yourself, Vince. Stay strong and don't give up on hope. No matter what happens don't give up on yourself._

_We'll miss you,_

_Mrs. Allen._

_P.S. I left Joey's backpack in his room, on his bed. It's packed with blue prints for his inventions and some other stuff. I'm hanging on to his robots and other gadgets for now. I'm trusting you to guard his ideas. Don't let a corrupted business tycoon get a hold of them. I'm counting on you._

Tears filled my eyes as I finished reading it. All the stress made my collapse once more. I read it another time, and once more. This made me feel selfish. Joey died for this? A coward who would take the easy way out after all he's done? I didn't want to live anymore, but I didn't want to make Joey's sacrifice meaningless. After a lot of thinking, I let the pills and the tablet slide out of my hand and on to the floor. I stuffed the letter in my pocket gently. Then I somehow managed to get up, grab Joey's backpack, and walk out the door.

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I knocked on the door, and patiently waited for Luesa to answer. I gripped the backpack in one hand. Luckily for my sake, she was home and answered the door. She was wearing a white tank top with black jeans.

"Hi, Vince, how are... WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR EYE!?"

The freezing wind made me shiver a bit. Luesa's alarmed voice also added up more goosebumps on my body. "I..."

"It was that prep you call a uncle, wasn't it!? Here, come inside."

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"You expect me to believe a boy at your school did that?"

I sipped some more of the hot chocolate Luesa gave me, and replied. "Yes. A guy named Bruner did it."

"That's it! I'm reporting this!" Luesa started to make her way towards the phone that was hooked on the kitchen's wall.

I swiftly jumped out of the chair and made a grab for her arm. "Don't!"

"I'm sick of standing by while he abuses you. I know you're not giving me the full truth, and I'm not taking the chance." Luesa tried to pull away from me, but I still kept my grip.

"Please! I'm not lying! Even if you did report this, it would just cause problems. There's no proof. If you don't believe me, you can call the school and ask them yourself!" I then realized I was bluffing about something very risky.

I let go of Luesa's arm, so she wouldn't feel me trembling. I could only hope she believed me. I just couldn't let her say anything. It was not guaranteed my life would be better if she took this to the court. We don't have much of a chance against Jonathon. He could just hire a professional lawyer. Even if Father heard about this, I doubted he'd believe me. Besides, I was too mad at him to want his help. Even if we won the case, it didn't mean I'd be happy afterwards. What if Father disowned me even though I was the last of the Valentines? Where would I go? The city dogs and gangs would eat me alive. I also didn't want to bring up Andrew and... I rather not think about it.

Luesa actually lowered her arm from the phone, and walked back the kitchen table. I followed her, ready to start on my guitar lesson (she'd been teaching me for a while). Luesa went back to the chair she had been sitting on.

"I'm tired of messing around with you like this, Vince. Do you even realize how serious this is?"

Oh, I knew how serious it was, maybe even more than her.

"I'm telling you I'm fine. Please, I'm not in the mood to fight right now. You know that I just lost..."

"That reminds me. I never saw you at Joey's funeral. What happened?"

"I... just couldn't come," I lied. "I just miss him so much that I..." I didn't bother to finish the sentence. I was still depressed about losing Joey and being kicked out of his funeral by my own friends... er... I mean, my own ex-friends. It wouldn't help if I told Luesa anyway. It had already happened yesterday and there was nothing she could do to change it now.

"I'm sorry about... you know," Luesa tried to comfort.

"It's fine. I'll get over it eventually." I looked down on the table and tried to think about what I just said. To tell the truth, I was not fine, and I didn't know how long it would take for me to get over it. I wish I could explain it to you further, but I doubt you lost someone too close. If you did, I doubt you know what it's like to know that your first true friend is dead because of you.

"You gotta remember it wasn't your fault."

I wished those were the magic words I needed to make my pain disappear, but it wasn't that simple. I was trying, honest. I just couldn't seem to get rid of all the pain. All the pain I felt everyday in life kept piling on my shoulders, and wouldn't stop until I finally collapsed. My world was beginning to crash down further. I even noticed I'd been almost suicidal lately, more than usual to be exact.

"I know what it's like to lose someone," Luesa admitted.

"You do?"

"Yes, you and I have some things in common, more than you may ever know. My life was kinda bad in the past. I even had to make some heart breaking choices." Luesa grabbed her guitar off the table and started fiddling with the strings.

"What did you have to do?"

Luesa didn't answer for a while. She mostly just tuned her guitar. When she finally got the strings to where she wanted them, she began playing. "I would rather not talk about it, at least not now. Maybe once things cool down."

"Luesa?"

"Hmm?" Luesa continued to play on her guitar.

"I need some advice. Is there a way to escape pain?"

"Well... among people, results vary. One way to feel better when you're depressed is to draw or listen to music. That's what I do. I even try to write my songs, and practice drawing everyday."

"Does it work?"

"Most of the time. It makes a good escape from your troubles. I can't say for sure what would exactly happen if you try this. It mostly depends on your personality, what you draw, or what kind of music you listen to. One of the most common things that happens when you listen to music is that you either temporarily forget you troubles, or direct your pain through the song. You'll just have to find out for yourself. Here, take this." Luesa handed me her guitar.

As I grabbed it, my eyes widened. This was one of her prized positions! How could she give this to me!?

"But... I..."

"Keep it. You need it more than I do right now. Besides, I already have another and can buy one just like that one if I ever want to."

I studied the guitar for a moment. It was a sunny yellow color, and through my perspective, it was kind of shaped like a peanut. I settled the guitar on my lap, then I carefully positioned my hands around it. I rubbed my index finger down the strings. As expected, the strings made a nice tune. "Ar... Are you sure about this?"

"Yep, just take good care of it. It was my mom's."

"It doesn't even look a month old!"

"I worked hard to keep it as clean as possible. Just do your best to do the same."

"Thanks, you're the best. If it wasn't for you and Lenny, I would be miserable."

"Who's Lenny?"

"My limo driver. He's rad. I talked to him yesterday and..."

"I'm just wondering. How old is he?"

"Dunno, I think he's somewhere in his mid-thirties."

"I see." Luesa started giving me her 'detective look.' I wondered where she was going with this. "What color is his hair?"

"A light brown."

"His eye color?"

"Hazel."

"How long has he worked for you?"

"I can't say for sure because I was stuck in the mansion for a while. I think he's worked for us for eight to nine years. Why do you ask?"

"I just... nothing. It's nothing." Luesa was starting to scare me because her face had gotten serious and so had her tone. "Can you introduce me to him sometime?"

"Sure, but..."

"Make sure that guitar doesn't get busted or anything," Luesa said, changing the subject.

"O-oh alright." The sudden change in subject made me stammer a bit. "I'll treasure it always."

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I carefully crept up the stairs with the guitar in one hand and Joey's backpack in the other. I tried my best to keep my eyes in front of me. The suspense was making it hard to focus my eyes ahead. I had to worry about 'you know who' getting me. Maybe skipping school again had been a bad idea. I had already missed yesterday because of the funeral. Now, I had to pay the consequences. It wasn't fair. A lot of people who are severely depressed about losing a loved one get to stay home from school all the time. Luesa probably didn't say anything because she assumed I stayed all because of it.

I already was lucky that my uncle didn't get a call from the school about me missing school yesterday. Maybe they figured I wouldn't be there because of the funeral. Basically, I was doomed.

Even the smallest noise made me cringe. The creaky, carpeted stairs made my situation worse. I hoped I would at least have enough time to hide the stuff. Once I reached the top of the gigantic stairs, I took one last glance behind me before I dashed to my room. I only hoped that Uncle wasn't home yet. The lights were on, so it was most likely. I swiftly made a grab for my doorknob, and yanked the door open. I shut the door once I got inside, and rushed to the closet. I did my best to stuff the guitar and the blue backpack in the small space without damaging them. My palms became sweaty. Sweat formed on my face. Once the guitar and backpack were safely placed, I carefully closed the door.

I glanced behind to check if Uncle heard me. Luck was on my side for now.

"REJECT!!! GET DOWN HERE!!!" Jonathon's voice boomed.

The yell made me jump. I was wrong. Luck wasn't on my side after all. I sighed, and obeyed. My body trembled so badly that I had to use the stair railing to support myself as I made my way down the stairs. The pills I almost took in the apartment plagued me. Maybe I should have...

"I SAID NOW!!!"

Yikes! I was really going to get it. What was I thinking? I scurried down the stairs, nearly tripping on the last step. My eyes wandered around the huge room, looking for Jonathon. By the sound of his voice, he must be in the library. I hesitated about going inside at first. My mind was clouded with ways to escape.

"DO YOU WANT ME TO BREAK YOUR NECK!!!"

Without thinking, I jogged into the library. Jonathon was standing near the entrance, furious. He stomped towards me, and grabbed me by the collar. Before I could react, he heaved me into a large bookcase. As my body impacted into the large object, it collapsed backwards under my weight. Books were scattered around, making a big mess. My body ached. I think I might have even crushed a few shelves. Jonathon treaded towards me, and made another grab for my collar. His face was only inches from mine. That bad smell... not again.

"You can just clean that mess up once I'm finished with you," Jonathon's voice boomed. That smell on his breath meant one thing. He had drunk a lot of alcohol. Why was he drunk whenever I was in the worst of trouble? "You $$$ liar! Why weren't you at school today!?"

"I..." Jonathon slammed me on the floor before I could answer. I yelped and lied there on the floor.

"Shut up! I don't think I want to know. Your mind has inappropriate thoughts, I bet. You were probably working for a hooker. Guess what else I learned when I got that call from school." Jonathon pulled me off the floor and put his face close to mine again. "You're not even into all those clubs you talked about. I can't believe I bought such a cheap lie! What is your father going to say about that?"

"Shut up!"

Jonathon violently struck me across the face. "I'm the one giving orders here. Grimoire isn't here, so you better listen and obey. Thanks to some information I gathered around the city, I now know about you running around with a poor, blond, spiky haired kid. How could you disgrace yourself by being around him?"

For a few seconds, I was shocked that he found out so much so quickly, but his last remark made me too furious to stay in my shocked state long. "You don't know anything," I said with a glare.

"You are a great disgrace to the Valentine name. From the minute you were born, I knew you would be trouble. Why didn't your father just let me kill you like I suggested? He had a feeling himself you'd be trouble." Jonathon's expression quickly changed to an 'uh oh' look. I then realized he wasn't supposed to say that.

"What do you mean by that?" I didn't feel sad or anything, just confused.

"Nothing. Forget I ever said it. I can't believe you let a druggie into your life so easily."

"What are you..." It took me only a few moments to realize he was talking about Joey. "YOU ANCIENT BASTARD!!!" I spat in his face with as much saliva I could throw at him at once.

Jonathon screeched as he tried to wipe the spit out of his eyes, dropping me. I tried to make a run for the library balcony to commit suicide, but I felt a very forceful tug on the back of my shirt before I was able to take a few steps. Jonathon threw me HARD across the room. During my flight, I crashed and knocked over a bunch of large bookshelves. My body screamed in pain as wood and some hard book pierced my skin. I shouted as I soared into a series of shelves until it all finally ended when I went crashing into the wall. I screamed really loudly, forgetting about the punishment for whining, crying and shouting when Jonathon beat me.

I tried to get up, but my limbs refused to move. Before I knew it, I saw Jonathon looking over me. He reached into my pocket, and took out Mrs. Allen's letter.

"G-give that back! It's mine," I commanded with a weak voice.

Jonathon peered at the letter for a minute, and got done reading it quickly (he was a really fast reader). Jonathon chuckled. "That kinda explains why you missed school, but I still can't figure out where you went for sure. Aww, this is sweet, but it seems your secret admirer is married and pregnant," Jonathon gave me an evil smile. "How sad! This will only make you even more depressed." Jonathon crumpled the letter in his hand, and harshly gripped it.

"That's mine! Don't do that!" I tried to get up, but the pain made me collapse when I was halfway up.

"Well, it's mine now."

I finally managed to climb to my feet, and was about to charge at my uncle when he pulled out the picture of me and Joey at Northsky falls I got for Christmas. He held out the picture and the letter in front of me, taunting me with them. How did he get it? Without thinking, I roared in rage and charged at him. A blow was made on my face, and sent me flying again. I landed a few feet from Jonathon. To take further advantage of my emotions, Jonathon went over to the fireplace near one of the desks. He held the picture and the letter close to the fire. My heart beat rapidly as I helplessly jumped to my feet, and gaped at him. I didn't know what to do. If I ran at him, he would drop the pictures in the fire for sure before I could even get close to him.

"How does it feel to soon lose something precious to you?"

I didn't answer. A sick feeling in my stomach made it almost impossible. My thoughts raced to find a way to save the pictures. I glanced at the balcony for a second. The two glass doors that lead to it were open. Good.

I took a few steps back towards the balcony, and glared at Uncle. I tried to make my face as serious as I could.

Finally, I threatened, "If you drop that stuff in the fire, I'm going to run on the balcony, and jump, and kill myself." I was DEAD serious.

At first Jonathon showed an expression of uncertainty, then his expression changed, and he looked like I was joking. "Yeah right. I know you don't have the guts to do it. Besides, what's so special about all this junk anyway?"

I could feel my face getting hot from anger. The anger made my chest have a weird intense feeling. "Would you really like to test me? It's awfully risky, you know, especially since you need me to take care of the family business in the future."

Jonathon's expression stayed the same. He still thought I was lying! "Get your last glimpse of them because it'll be the last time you'll ever see them." He tossed the picture and the letter in the fire and let it burn. Within seconds, the stuff turned into burnt objects. Anger's heat burned my body to the maximum. The only thing that came through my mind was to get back at him no matter what the consequences were. My body reacted on its own as it headed towards the balcony at high speed. I pulled my feet as hard as I could. I knew Jonathon was running after me because I could hear his footsteps. Just when I entered the balcony, I felt something really, really, really hard hit the back of my head. It was a miracle I didn't get a concussion!

Whatever was thrown at me hit me so hard that it made me lie there in shock for a short while. It took a few moments for the pain to sink in my body. My body, especially my head, hurt really badly. The stone floor on the balcony I landed on wasn't helping much. From the corner of my eye, I spotted a red book right next to me. I then realized Jonathon must have thrown it at me so I would stop running. Before my body fully recovered, I could feel Jonathon's hand grab me on the back of the collar. I managed to glance at Jonathon right before he started dragging me out the library, and probably into my room.

As he dragged me around the large mansion, he made blows on several part of my body and shouted curses at me for trying to kill myself. One of my pant legs got slightly pulled up as Jonathon dragged me up the stairs. I could feel part of my skin burn as the carpet rubbed on my ankle's skin. Once he got me to my room, he took me to the corner and thrashed me extremely harshly, careful to not leave many wounds on my face or any parts that couldn't be covered too easily. Once he was finally finished, he gaped down at me while I curled up into a ball.

"You're the most pathetic creature I've ever seen. I can barely stand to even look at you. Everything you do is pathetic. Every time I try to teach you something my stomach turns. This isn't the final punishment. You still need to pay for lying, endangering yourself in public, and so many other actions that I don't feel like naming all them. You receive it later. I already called it in. I was going to punish you another way, but I changed my mind. It's time you pay. You better enjoy the peace while you can because it'll probably be here any minute." Jonathon walked away and closed the door behind him. I could barely get up. This time he over did it big time. I limped to the door, curious if he locked it. Sadly, he did.

Now the real problem was getting to my bed. Sure I managed to get to the door, but it was only a short distance compared to my bed. As I made my way towards my bed, I struggled to not collapse before I got there. With the last of my strength, I got into bed and rested myself for a while. Once I thought I had enough strength to get to the closet, I got up and headed for it to get the guitar Luesa gave me. I grabbed the instrument, and headed back to my bed. I positioned the guitar in my hands and got ready to play. I sat there trying to think of lyrics to write my own song. A strange thought came to me.

_I would rather feel anger and feel pain than become Jonathon and Veronica's mindless numb puppet. Hmm... numb... pain..._

I started striking the strings with the guitar pick. I played a bunch of notes, trying to think up some lyrics. After several minutes of thinking, I finally came up with some lyrics. I then began to sing.

_Pain, without love  
Pain, I can't get enough  
Pain, I like it rough   
'Cause I'd rather feel pain than nothing at all_

I could feel some of my pain releasing through the song. I kept playing the guitar as I tried to come up with some more lyrics. I refused to become their slave without a fight. I was not going to let them completely control me. I couldn't let them break my spirit. I needed another motivation. What if I finally had a lover that perfectly suited me? I could imagine her. She would love me no matter who I was. She wouldn't think of me as trash. She would comfort me when I was troubled. She wouldn't leave me. She would always understand me. She would love me forever. She would have beauty both inside and out. Yes, that would be perfect, but the beauty outside thing was just a bonus. I'd care more about the rest.

I finally managed to come up with some more lyrics after a lot more thinking. Yes... I was starting to forget my troubles. Notes on the guitar kept sounding out as I stroke the strings. I went back to singing.

_  
You're sick of feeling numb  
You're not the only one  
I'll take you by the hand  
And I'll show you a world that you can understand  
This life is filled with hurt  
When happiness doesn't work  
Trust me and take my hand  
When the lights go out you will understand._

_Pain, without love  
Pain, I can't get enough  
Pain, I like it rough   
'Cause I'd rather feel pain than nothing at all._

I was still brainstorming for more lyrics when I heard footsteps out my door. I immediately stopped playing, leaving the room silent except for the footsteps. My mind raced to find ways to hide the guitar quickly. I was too weak to run to the closet and even if I had the strength I probably wouldn't make it in time. I had to protect the guitar! I settled on stashing it under my bed. I did my best to shove it as deep as it could go. As long as no one looked under the bed, no one would notice. I turned on my side and stared out the small window next to me. I heard the door creak, meaning someone was opening it. It must be Jonathon coming to give me my 'final punishment.'

I sighed and informed without looking at him, "Look! I'm tired of you..."

Then I heard a cold voice I hadn't heard in years. "Aww, Vincy. Is that how you should treat an old friend?"

A great chill went down my spine as the sentence reached my brain. My heart beat rapidly. I trembled in fear. It couldn't be! Oh please no! Anyone but him!

I glanced behind me. It was him... Andrew Scott. His appearance made me immediately roll onto my other side, making me face him. Andrew started walking towards me with his sly smile. Not that smile again!

"W-WHAT ARE YOU DOIN' HERE!?" I badly panicked, stammered.

"Your uncle gave me a call and informed me about your mischief and... well..."

"I... why... how long are you going to be here?"

Now Andrew was standing right in front of me. He was... getting too close.

"I'm going to live with ya guys for a while. There's a big project your uncle and I are working on and I need to be here to give him a hand. Alright... I almost forgot. Your punishment."

His voice was enough to make me jump to my feet, start running to the small bathroom that was connected to my bedroom, and get ready to lock him out. My adrenaline must have kicked in because I didn't know where all the extra strength was coming from. The wounds in my body weren't even bothering me.

I had to get away at all cost! I couldn't let him... no. I had to keep running. Almost there.

I was inside the bathroom, and was starting to slam the door shut when Andrew stopped it with his hand. I kept pushing on the door, trying to out strength him. His eyes made all the hair on my neck stick up. I used all the energy I had to struggle with him.

"This is sweet," Andrew remarked sarcastically. "You wanna play a game with me before we have some real fun? I would love to keep playing but I want more time for the next game." Andrew cheated by punching me in the stomach, causing me to let go of the door. At light speed, he snatched me by the collar (why does everyone always grab me there?) and started to drag me to my bed. I tried to squirm out of his grip. I shouted, punched, pinched, and even managed to bite him once really quickly. I was desperate to escape. He yelped in pain but still kept his grip on me.

I then saw Jonathon standing outside the door. He had a satisfied smile on his face when he said, "Stop struggling or I'll clobber you until you can't move any longer. You're gonna have to go through it either way. There's no point in fighting. Andrew, if he gives you trouble give me a shout."

"How long do you want me to torture him?" Andrew asked, standing there, still holding my collar.

"As long as you want. The longer, the better. Do what you want and as long as you want." The heartless man shut the door without showing even the smallest amount of sympathy.

Andrew glanced at me and grinned. "Hear that? The more struggling you do, the worse you are going to make this on yourself."

I had to use all of my will power not to whimper as Andrew threw me on my bed, and held me down. I didn't struggle anymore because I knew it would be pointless, and I didn't want to show Andrew any form of weakness. Though I could already predict a part of me dying, I managed to cover my terrified face with a stern look. This time Uncle was going way too far. My heart's beating intensely increased. I felt like I was going to have a heart attack any moment. Sweat developed on my forehead, and on my palms. One of the worst knots I ever had started to develop in my stomach, and kept turning until I felt like I was going to throw up, big time. An uncomfortable feeling plagued me. I tried my best not to tremble at all, but it was too late. A smile formed on his face as he felt my fear.

I could honestly feel tears form in the back of my eyes, but I somehow managed to contain them. I was fighting him physically, emotionally, and mentally. I couldn't let him get to me. I could have easily knocked him off with my strong arms or my strong legs, but I was scared of Uncle thrashing me again. It wasn't because of the pain of the beating. It was because it'd give Andrew more options to mess with me. I was left to lie there helplessly, and wait for the torture to begin.

That's when things got worse. Andrew climbed on top of me and gave me a nasty kiss on the lips. The knot on my stomach worsened as his saliva mixed with mine. His saliva tainted my taste buds badly, but I could see something worse coming. The taste of the kiss worsened when he slid his tongue in my mouth. My first instinct was to run away as fast as my legs could take me, but I still stayed frozen in that position like a statue. Goosebumps developed in many places of my body as Andrew placed his hand on my shirt and started feeling many areas of my chest. He took at his tongue and started whispering some things in my ear.

"What's wrong? Aren't you enjoying yourself?"

I wanted to shout 'no' at the top of my lungs, but I was too scared and a bit shocked by his presence to answer. All I could do was gulp.

"Why are you so scared? It's not like you have anything to lose. I don't have any disease on me. I already checked. It's not like you can get pregnant. Besides, you already lost your virginity when you were only seven, remember?"

After all these years after his nightly visits stopped, I was only able to live through it because Jonathon's beatings and Veronica's insults kept me busy. There was another reason I had been able to go on. I forced myself into thinking of things to help myself feel better. _He's out of my life for good. He's never going to come back. It'll never happen again. One day Father or maybe even someone else will save me. _What a fool I was! I even felt worse when I could have prevented this by telling Luesa. Then again, I wouldn't have the guts. If I could barely tell her about Jonathon's beatings and Veronica's slapping and verbal abuse, how could I tell her about Andrew? I told Joey, but I thought it would be our last day on Gaia. I thought our lives would end, and we'd have no more problems.

I nearly jumped out of my skin when Andrew took his hand out of my shirt and snatched my glasses off my face. "You look pretty handsome without these," Andrew commented. When he started pulling off my shirt, I could no longer contain my trembling. A satisfied look covered Andrew's face as he could taste my fear. Another sick feeling filled my stomach as he pulled my shirt off. Time seemed to stop as I could see my torture coming.

_Why must I go through this? Joey, if there is a god, we isn't he helping me now? If Father truly cared about me, why doesn't he save me from this hell? Why has the world become my enemy so quickly? Am I being punished for only existing? What place do I have in this world if I don't matter? Why didn't I just take those pills at Mrs. Allen and Doug's apartment?_

All these question in my head made some tears form in my eyes. I immediately regretted showing tears because I showed Andrew weakness. Now I was doomed. I glanced at my alarm clock from the corner of my eye. It read 9:36. This was going to be a long night.

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All I could do was watch as Andrew walked out the door, taking my innocence with him. A mixture of shame, guilt, sadness and anger hit me all as once as I sat there crying. Suddenly, a sick feeling filled my stomach. I was going to vomit! I rushed to the toilet as fast as I could, and puked into it like planned. I was literally sick of myself. I felt like a piece of trash. My life seemed to be turned upside down once more. I felt like a broken tool, used for everyone else's need, pleasure, and etc. Once I was done vomiting, I felt so filthy as I stared at myself. The torture was too terrible for words. I tried to think of something worse he could have done to me to make myself feel better, but it was impossible. He'd pretty much done everything possible, and he'd taken all he wanted. I glanced at my clock again at my nightstand. It read 10:48. Hmm, it felt like he did it longer than that.

I swiftly closed the door and dashed to the shower to wash all his filth off. My clothes were already pulled off so I didn't even have to bother removing them. I scrubbed myself with soap until it started to make my skin red. After I was out, I slipped on pajamas, but I still felt strange. Sure, you could get dressed again, but it doesn't feel the same. The worst thing was that he'd be back for more tomorrow night if he really was staying with us. I sat on the bed, but didn't bother pulling the cover over myself again. For a while, I sat there taking in what had just happened to me. Then something strange happened. I suddenly had a strange inspiration to write Joey a letter. At first I thought I was going crazy, but I was willing to do anything to forget about Andrew.

I went over to my nightstand and grabbed a sheet of paper and a pen out of the drawer. I placed the stuff on the nightstand, and started to write.

_It's me, Vince. Joey, I miss you so much, more than anything in the world. I wish I could have gone with you. What's it like to die? How much pain did you feel before you took your last breath? Did you think of your friends and family right before you died? What's it like to have a family that loves you? Do you have a nice pleasant feeling if you mother hugs you? Does your father have to spend time with you every now and then? What happens if you're sad about something? How does your family help you? Do you just talk to them about it? Do they temporarily distract you from your troubles until you eventually forget about it or do they help you face reality? I guess I'll have to wait until I die one day._

_Don't worry. I didn't forget the promises. I still remember them all, even the one where you said where we go after we die, we're going together. I hope wherever you are, you're happy. I hope you're reunited with your father. Man, you were so lucky. You had a family, friends, even some pride. I often envied out whenever I saw you laughing with your family or saw you cracking a joke to a group of people. Although you weren't the most popular guy in school, you still got a lot of good attention. I can barely get much attention that's good, not even in my own home. The only attention I get is the kind I hate the most._

_I always wondered what it's like to die. For a long time now, I thought things on the planet won't mean anything once you pass through the afterlife. Before you get used to the things in the Lifestream, you take these things with you. The value of the sun's warmth in the spring after you waited for it during a harsh winter. The smell of air when spring comes, meaning a new start. Summer's temperature after the sun goes down, making the air not too hot but not too cold either. If you can't take these with you, at least take your memories of your mother's embrace, and memories of all your friends and family._

_Hey Joey, I got an idea. Remember the day before you died that we were trying to arrange a date to race each other, deciding who's the fastest. All our races' scores were tied so we wanted to settle it once and for all. Sadly we never got to do it because you died the day before our race day. When I meet you again in the afterlife, how about we race... in the rain. We don't want to do it when it's really hot, do we? Please wait for me in the Lifestream. Please don't start another life before I get there, okay? I'll keep our promises. Just wait and see._

Tears formed in my eyes as I finished writing it. How was I going to get this to him? I was kicked out of his funeral and didn't even get to say goodbye. Why did I even write this?

_Fire is faster than dirt._

This thought startled me. It was coming out of nowhere. It was right, though. I thought I knew what to do now.

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The folded letter was held at the tip of my fingers. The fire in the library's fireplace still flared. I started having second thoughts. My hand shook. My heart kept beating rapidly (if it keeps beating like this all day I'm probably going to have a heart attack). Uncle would be back in the library soon, so I had to hurry if I was going to do it. Centimeter by centimeter, I loosened my grip on the letter until it finally dropped into the flame. Without even checking it burning, I rushed outside the library and up the stairs. Once I got to my room, I got the guitar out from under my bed, took a seat on my bed, and began play the guitar and sing my heart out.

_Pain, without love  
Pain, I can't get enough..._

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A tap on my window woke me up from my nightmare about Joey. My eyelids were still heavy, and my vision was a bit blurry from waking up. I felt a small weight on my chest. Once my vision returned, I saw that it was Luesa's guitar. I must have played it until I fell over. I glanced at my window to see what woke me up, to find rain beating on it like an impatient finger. I jerked myself forward, putting myself in a sitting position, and stared out my window.

The sight was beautiful. The sky was a golden yellow, kind of like a peach. Rain poured on the back gardens, making the garden sparkle with beauty. Birds chirped a lovely tune. A rainbow brightened the area, making it shine radiantly, making the scenery look like something you could find in a fairy tale.

For an unknown reason, I placed my right hand on the cold window. A grin formed on my face. A nice warm feeling filled my heart. This was a sign. This was the sign I needed. Now I knew Joey got my letter. In my heart, all this was Joey's sign for me to move on and not give up. Thanks, Joey. Even after you're gone, you showed me the light.

**Sorry part of the chapter was boring but most of it is really important for future chapters.**

**I'm also sorry it took me so long to update. I've been writing this chapter all week, but had a bit of trouble. I wanted to be cautious about what I put in it because the chapter's kinda important. I know there are probably mistakes. I was too lazy to finish reading it.**

**It might be a short while before I update again because I might take a small temporary break, and I need to think out the plot more. I'm now to the part of the story I didn't think out too well because I'm making some last minute changes. The delayed update is a maybe but don't get ****your hopes up. Thanks for the reviews everyone. They've really inspired me!**


	20. Unanswered Questions

**My replies to your reviews will start to be slow because I want to wait until I think I got a review from everybody so I can keep track of reviews I already replied to and reviews I still need to reply. I have short memory and forget things easily, so it's sometimes difficult to remember which I replied.**

**There's a new fanfic I created that reveals more about the abuse Vincent had. Remember when many chapters said Johnathon started taking it easy on him? It's called Abuse (I know it's a stupid title but I didn't know what to call it). Just to warn you, it's rated M for what's going to happen in future chapters. **

The pencil made some low sound as the lead made contact with the paper. The room was quiet as I sat on the floor, drawing in a sketchbook. It was empty except for me, my pictures, and my furniture. Good. I like it this way. I can finally have peace. As the lines on my picture were made, I could feel part of my pain release through the peaceful drawing. It's strange. It's been ages since I last drew or painted. Whenever I made either of these, I only got criticize. Yes, my uncle and aunt done it to me a lot back when I was home schooled.

_"You call this a drawing! I seen better in the garbage!" _

_"You idiot! Stop dabbing the paint brush like that before you ruin the entire picture!" Wait, you already ruined it. It looks ugly already. Even if it was good, you probably already got some nasty filth over it with your grubby hands."_

_"Are you color blind!? Cats aren't that color!"_

If I wasn't forced to paint or draw so much during homeschooling, I would of gave up on making any master pieces way before I started attending private school. I remember feeling sick about looking at my drawings. I used to be eager to graduate art class because I was sick and tired of watching my aunt and uncle yell at me for messing up on drawings, and throwing them in the trash. I don't know why for sure I started drawing and painting again. It's probably because my life has crashed down so badly, I want to somehow have some relief.

This past week has been hell. My entire school has turned against me. I can't walk two steps in that building without being pranked, ganged up on, beaten up, called names, cursed at, a book being thrown at me and so much more. If I made a list for all the stuff that's happened, it would be a LONG list. Uncle has been beating me up more than usual. Every night Andrew partly kills me inside. Father still hasn't called. I know I'm mad at him, but I really want to ask him some questions. If I knew his number, I would call him myself.

I don't feel like myself much anymore. Losing Joey may of caused part of it, but it's not the full case. I blame Andrew. I hate him. Every time he was in my sight, my mind raced with thought to make him suffer. So much hate and anger, and I don't even have the courage to kill him. Then again, I don't have the courage to kill my uncle either, so why should he be different. No matter what I do, I can't seem to win in life. I lose every battle and fall hard. Lot of times my own existence is questioned.

My hand froze with the pencil in hand. I peered at my drawing for awhile to make sure I didn't make any mistakes. The picture is a lovely, young female angel. Her lovely, long hair flew in the breeze. Her eyes were glimmering with innocent, beauty, and kindness. The smile that was drawn on her face is almost perfect. Her wings was gracefully stretched out. Her palms were close together, looking almost like she was praying. I wish that angel would come to life, jump of the page, and take me out of his hell forever. All I can do is dream.

After awhile, I stopped drawing, ripped out the picture from the sketchbook, and placed the picture with my other paintings and drawings I drew today. My mind was haunted with thoughts of fear, sorrow, and shame. Thoughts plagued me.

_When will all his end? When will Johnathon stop beating me? When will Andrew stop destroying me every night?_

My mind began to spin. I then realized some of the damage Andrew may be causing to me.

_What if Andrew's torture really alters me? How can I get married when I'm older if this keeps up? What woman would want a filthy, used up man? What if I have kids, and I had already become like Andrew!? What if all the torture I had causes me to lose control of myself, and go into my kid's room and..."_

Gigantic feeling of panic snapped me out of my thoughts. Now I'm really starting to get scared of myself. Although I snapped out of my thoughts, I still couldn't help, but to wonder. I'm really scared of myself.

_What if I beat up my kids like Johnathon? What if I verbally abuse them like my aunt and uncle? What if I sexually abuse them like Andrew? What if I abandon them most of the time like Father?_

My heart rapidly beaten. I began to tremble at the thoughts and sweat. A painful feeling filled my heart. I don't want to be like them. I don't want to be what they want me to be. I just want to be me. Then again, what is so great about me? I wish I was innocent. I wish I didn't have that many responsibilities. I wish I could be carefree, without a worry in the world. My wish is impossible. Shame on me for making such wishes. I'll never be the same again.

I already know I lost most of my childhood when I was six. In fact, I nearly forgot what it's like to be a child. I didn't even know what it's like to be a teenager until I met Joey. Even though it's been ten days since he's been dead, I'm forgetting again. The worse thing is, I'm starting to forgot what he looked like! My hatred towards Johnathon blazes for destroying the only picture I had left of him. I miss him with all my heart.

I can a strange sob lumped in my throat, but I restrained it. Not a second goes by without me worrying about Andrew coming up here. Every breath I take is heavy from all this worry. Out of nowhere, another thought hit me like a stone.

_Why has Uncle taken it easy on me ever since the summer I started going to private school? I can't believe this thought hasn't bother me in so long. That monster tortured me until I could take no more, and nowadays he used give me a good beating. Somethings holding him back but what is it?_

_What if Father stops letting me go to private school, and Uncle goes back to his old torturous ways?_

This thought gave me a chill like ice was stuffed down my shirt. Father is my only way to survive. I may be greatly angry with him, but I still need to somehow get him to come home. Maybe Johnathon and Veronica have his phone number written down on a piece of paper in their study, or it's circled in the phone book. There's only one way to find out for sure...

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As I climbed down the stairs, I made sure to bend down as low as possible. This is really risky and complicating. Many people could see me: one of the servants, Andrew, Veronica, and...Johnathon. Every time my weight was on a step, it slightly creaked. Every noise risks me getting spotted. I had to be careful to shroud myself the best I can because until I get to the end of the stairs, only the railing will cover me. Once I reached the end, I made a turn to the left, the opposite direction of the library, where Johnathon is most likely at. I tiptoed to the kitchen, and contently switched my glances, watching for anyone.

I held my breath enough to not make much noise and get enough air to my lungs at the same time. My hearing heightened to help protect me. With every step, my heart beats got faster and faster. I felt like a stalker was following me, and getting ready to pounce. Not a single move was made without a rush of fear flooding me. I began to regret coming down here, but there's no turning back now. If I'm going to get my lights punched out, I might as well not come back empty handed.

My tiptoeing still caused my footsteps to make a faint sound. Marble covered a lot of the floor in rooms, including the room I'm currently in, that lead from the stairs, to the front door, and many other halls, and rooms like the kitchen and library. I began to curse myself mentally for not removing my shoes before I went downstairs. How could I be so stupid? A relief feeling swept through me as I peeked in the kitchen, and saw no one around. Before slipping into the kitchen, I glanced over my shoulder one more time.

The first thing I messed with was the tall book shelf that stood near the counter. Even though there were mostly cook books, I read every title at the side of the cover as fast as I could. Just as I thought. Nothing. Okay, let's try another room. The only other rooms that connected to the kitchen was the large dining room in the back with mostly just tables and chairs and stuff, and a hall that traveled deeper into the east of the building. I decided to head down the hall even though I'm drastically increasing my chances of getting discovered. The rules of seeking down the hall were a bit different than getting from my room to the kitchen. This time I have to check my back and front every second. I also have to be a lot more careful with walking and breathing.

This whole sneaking around felt like a deadly chest game. Every single move counts. Every single motion is risky. Every single breath doom you. Some intense fear and regret kept weighing down my heart like a heavy object was attach to it. My crushed heart started to make it hard to breath, but I somehow manged to remember to check my front and back constantly, breathe, and be quiet. I passed many rooms, knowing that their highly unlikely to have what I'm looking for. I also somehow managed to start put thought in what room to go next. I even somehow found time to scold myself for not thinking the plan out better. I shouldn't of came down without thinking it all out. I should of at least waited until everyone was in bed.

I made a right turn in the fork of the hall and kept heading down it until I got to the end. At the end, there was two direction I can take, left and right. Since Johnathon's private study was deep in the left hall, I turned left. Even though my eyes are only suppose to watch ahead and behind me, I couldn't help but to glance at many doors I passed and many rooms without doors. I began to regret again. Most of the servants' bedrooms are down here, and I'm walking right in front of them! I swallowed all the fear and regret I felt and tried to focus on the mission.

My dread and regret was replaced by a feeling of awkwardness. It's kind of funny. I've been living in this large mansion for almost ten years, and I still barely know where half the rooms are. If I get lost, I'm in serious trouble. I was heading down another endless hall when I heard voices. It was distant. It took me a few moments to figure out who it was. Although I never met them before, I knew it was one of the servants, probably a maid.

"What a...you shouldn't do...I know..." The faintness broke up one of the maid's sentences.

A rush of panic, sweat, goosebumps, and regret rushed through me like I was going to die any minute. My heart began to drop further and pump faster, making it hard for me to think straight. My mind raced like a hare trying to escape a coyote.

"Our boss...he's such...has a bad temper..."

As their voices sounded closer, my mind screamed for me to run. Once I came to my senses, I spun around the other way at high speed, and started speeding down the hallway. I stopped in my tracks in front a fork in the hall when I saw a shadow coming down another hall and heading towards me. I nearly screamed from being so startled, but I covered my mouth just in time. With my hands still over my mouth, I sharply rotated in the opposite direction again, and headed down the hall. That's when I heard the other maid's talking again, reminding me that there are already maids coming that way.

I could swear my blood pressure rose. I'm trapped! My eyes darted around, desperate to escape. Without thinking, I yanked the door of a random room open, then shuted it as swiftly and quietly as I could. I backed away from the door until my back made contact with the door. I collapsed into the nearest corner, and started to hug my knees like a helpless victim. I could still see a little light beaming through the crack under the door. The room was dark, but empty, so I got to stay REALLY quiet because I won't have anywhere to hide if I'm discovered. As I sat in my position, I listened the females voices out in the hall.

"Hey Maryann. How's it going."

"Good, except I had to clean a few terrible messes, but other than that I'm fine."

Several minutes passed and I could still hear them outside. By their voices, there must be three of them. They yapped about girl stuff and complained about a few things. Most of the conversations bored me, and I just wanted them to leave already. The only thing they said that I liked was when they said things like "Johnathon's temper is going to get himself in trouble one of these days," or "he needs to control himself and relax." Happy thoughts of Johnathon being put in jail made me smirk. After one of them finally reminded the other two that they have a job to do and Johnathon will not be pleased or something like that, I heard footsteps sound fainter by the second, which means their leaving. I signed in relief and started to patiently wait awhile just in case they change their minds.

All this calm feeling didn't last long because at the corner of my eye I spotted a chair. My eyeballs nearly popped out of my head. Goosebumps built over my goosebumps that already formed. A chill went down my spin. My stomach twisted into a knot. My body began to tremble. As I stared in horror at the dried blood on the seat, a flashback started coming back to me. This isn't an ordinary chair. It is "The Punishment Chair."

_All the limbs in my body ached. Blood was dying most of my cloths and part of the chair to a dark red. Every time I blinked, my eyes felt heavy and stinged with agony. Lots of my bones in my body were already smashed. My lungs felt like the walls were closing in on it because I was whacked in the stomach so many times. My throat felt unpleasant every time I gulped. My wrist burned from struggling with the rope that held my arms behind the chair. Both my thoughts and vision was starting to become blurry as I felt like I was going to pass out. I can barely take much more of this._

_As I tried to struggle out of the rope, I could feel my wrist burn more. The bleeding continued, causing me to struggle harder. My muscles strained. My limbs complained, but I kept moving. Every moment seemed to take forever. When the ropes refused to budge, more tears soaked my face. For some unknown reason, I managed to force my neck to budge so I could glance at Johnathon. My face felt soaked from both blood and tears. The tears relieved my wounds just a little, but will soon cause more punishment._

_Johnathon just gazed at me without showing any emotions with the cane still in one hand. My own blood dripped from the cane and unto the marble floor. All I could do was sit in the chair, as I waited for his next move. He kept pacing back and forth. Back and forth. Every move he made tugged at me. I just wanted this to be over. If it wasn't for the stupid rope that tied me down to the chair, I would of fell off the chair already, and hopefully hit my head on the marble floor hard enough to die._

_I knew I was going to live no matter how much I hated it. I knew Johnathon knew what he was going. He knew how to make me suffer, and keep me alive at the same time. Every whack he already made, and will make is greatly calculated. Dying is almost impossible._

_For a second, I thought he was done and was going to untie me, but he did the opposite. He stomped towards me and raised the cane over his head._

_"I was going to let you go, but your bawling and your attempt to escape changed my mind."_

_I screamed with the little strength I had as the cane approached me._

I snapped back to reality, badly trembling. My breathing must of stopped for a while because my lungs demanded more oxygen. I don't want to go back to Johnathon's old punishments. I don't want to bleed. I don't want my bones broken. I don't want go through classes, and somehow work with my busted limps. I don't want to get shocked by the electric cord Johnathon used to use on me. I don't want him to make me take off my shirt, get on my stomach, and let him press the hot cloths iron on my back. I don't want to get stabbed. I don't want to be starved for several days or weeks. I don't want Johnathon to scarp my skin with a cheese crater. I don't want to get thrown into a mirror. I don't want to be thrown down the stairs. I don't want to be forced to eat food with insects in it, and have to eat my puke if I throw it up. I don't want to get wiped by his belt. I don't want to take a freezing cold bath, and have to sit in there for hours. I don't want be tied to the "Punishment Chair" and be beaten by a cane for several hours. I don't want to go back to the old ways!

Tears built up behind my eyes, but I restrained them. I want to be strong. I want to feel confident. I want to be someone worth wild. I just wanted to be loved or at least valued. After several minutes of restraining tears, I snapped out of it and remembered my mission once more. I climbed to my feet, then headed for the door. I slowly twisted the knob and cracked it a inch. I peeked through the crack and checked to see if anyone one was out there. When I saw no one, I slowly pulled the door open while leaning forward to check outside further. To my relief, no one was around. I closed the door behind me without looking at "the chair." I just want to forget.

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I'm finally here, Johnathon's study. As usual, everything was well organized. The room looked spotless. The desk had nothing on it except a pencil cup with many pencils and pens stuffed in it and facing straight up, and a lamp. Folders and books in shelves were perfectly aligned without sticking out a single inch. All drawers in the filing cabinet were all the way shut. The window with green curtain, and behind the desk didn't have a single scratch or finger print on it. All walls didn't have any sign of someone touching it. The floor was so clean that it's hard to believe someone was even in here. Johnathon was always tidy. Good thing Johnathon left the light on because this will make my searching easier.

I don't know where to start. Sure eveything's well organized, but I don't even know where the start. For a moment I thought about where to look.

_If I was Uncle, where would I keep Father's phone number?_

My first answer was the file cabinet. I went over to it, and gently wrenched the drawer out. Every single file was perfectly in place. Most of my plan fell apart right there. I originally planned to search through Johnathon's papers to find Father's phone number, but I see something wrong wit my plan. The files are in way too nicely. Surely Johnathon would notice someone would notice something wrong. I can't just put them back without at least slightly messing up his work. If he found out, he might get smart and get a lock for his study, and I may have to make another stop here to find Father's phone number next time.

I decided since I don't want to risk Uncle finding out, I will look through his books in the shelf. Surely I'll find a phone book. Books are easier to mess with without leaving anything suspicious. I have to hurry because Johnathon, Veronica, Andrew, or even one of the servants might check me any minute.

I wanted to do my best to hide my presence in the room, so I only read the title on the side cover like I did in the kitchen. It mostly had stuff like date books, journals, organization files for the companies, restaurants, etc my family owned, and many other uninteresting stuff. That's when I finally found the phone book. My hand reached for it, but it froze only a couple inches from it.

_Will Johnathon noticed one of his books missing? Will he bother to check?_

I felt like an idiot because I forgot about the possibility of Johnathon checking his books. He come into the study at least once everyday. He's sure to notice something, and I can't take my chances reading the whole thing here. I resolved to take my chances with taking it. I have better chance reading it in my room. All I have to do it check it out in my room, and return it to its place after everyone's in bed. Before I slipped the book out, I made sure to memorize the two books it was between. With the book in one hand, I quickly dashed out the door.

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I had great luck heading back to the way I already came. The last obstacle is to get upstairs. My heart beaten faster from the excitement of joy and victory. While I headed for the stairs, I devised a plan to get Father to come and convince him I'm telling the truth about Johnathan. The rest of my plan is secured because I can hear Veronica's, Andrew's, and Johnathon's voices inside the living room. As long as I stay quiet, I'll be fine. My foot was on the first step when I heard something Andrew said that caught my attention for some reason.

"I hardly see Grimoire much anymore," Andrew pointed out. "How is he lately?"

"I can't say for sure," Johnathon began. "I get a phone call from him every once in the while, but I still can't say for sure. I haven't seen him in almost a year. I have to admit I get worried about my dear brother at times. I still don't like him going into the eastern territory. Shinra company is beginning to run things there, and might consider killing him. After all we, the Valentines, are the last ones standing in Shinra's way from taking over other parts of the western territory and some of the other parts of the world. Lot of Tech City's and many other city's' companies are owned by us. We are the reason the western area is so strong. You can say we're Shinra's rivals. Then again, Shinra would most likely start a war if the killed Grimoire, and they would definitely lose the battle and everything they have. Most of the people on the planet hate them and will surely turn against them if they had the chance, and we have more money and power. How can they possible win against us?"

"I guess you're right."

I then realized I froze with my foot still on the step. I removed it, and crept to the entrance to the living. I don't know why I did it, but my senses told me they might say something I need to here. I made sure to not make any noise and pressed my ear on the wall so I can hear better.

"I'm just wondering. How old is Grimoire? He looks pretty young for a man who has a sixteen year old son." (A/N: Remember, Vincent isn't going to turn 16 until October 13 and it's still early May)

"He prefers to keep his age personal. He has a reason."

"Oh c'mon, he can't be that old. You're older than him, and you still don't mind telling others your age."

"To be honest, I lie about my age to cover up Grimoire. He's suffered enough."

"Wait! You lied to me about your age, too!?"

"Sorry, but I had a good reason."

"Well, you mind as well tell me. What's the harm?"

"I guess so, but keep this between us. This needs to stay inside the mansion."

"Okay, how old is he?"

"...thirty-three."

There was a brief silence. My head began to spin. Thirty-three, no way! He must be joking.

"No seriously," Andrew demanded. His voice seemed to change. He must be as shock as I am. "How old is he really?"

"I'm told you before, thirty-three."

"B-but that would mean..."

"Yes, he would have to be only seventeen when he had Vincent."

My heart beats seemed to stop. My head spinned with confusion. I began to feel empty from all the shock. My world seemed to be altered. I was shocked. REALLY shocked. My father was a responsible man. I couldn't imagine him doing something like that, especially with me involved like this!

"I thought...Valentines normally got married at nineteen!"

"Yes, our parents and other older family members help pair us with a future husband or wife starting at age eighteen. Then we go through many choices, and usually find someone we're happy with someone by age nineteen. Some of us take longer and don't marry until twenty or twenty-one."

"I'm confused. Did he marry at sixteen? I thought Laccarra didn't marry him until he was around twenty years old."

"She didn't. Vincent isn't even her son."

"I thought he only got married once!"

"He did."

"That would mean..."

"Yes, Grimoire was never married to the girl who beared his child."

"Oh my...I never knew...how old was she?"

"Same age as Grimoire I think."

"What became of her?"

"I don't know, which worries me. It was very difficult to get the Boy away from her. She just wouldn't give him up."

Now my heart dropped clear to the point where it can't drop any further. I kept feeling many emotions hit me at once: shock, confusion, sadness, and anger. How dare they take me away from her! How dare they put me through this without my mother having a say in it! How dare they not tell me about my real mother!

"Who is she?"

"You wouldn't guess. She's..."

Just before Johnathon could finish his sentence, I heard footsteps behind me.

I just sharply rotated when I heard, "YOU SPY!!! WHAT ARE YOU DOIN' HERE!!!??? WHY ARE YOU OUTTA YOUR ROOM!!!???" It was Veronica.

Before I could recover from Veronica's yelling and the shocking news, I saw Johnathon and Andrew coming out of the living room. I didn't even give the the chance to say another word before I took off, and headed for the front door with the phone books still in one hand. I heard Johnathon shouting at me from behind, but none of the sentence made it to my brain. I picked up the pace to escape. I pushed the front doors open, and ran out even through it's storming out.

_WHY!? Why did I have to get caught just before he said "her name." My mother. I have a real mother out there. I have hope again. I can be free! I gotta find my mother no matter what it takes!"_

**Sorry it took me so long to update. I had a major writer's block and didn't want to type a cruddy chapter by typing it when I wasn't in the mood. I thought you guys deserved better than that. I'll try to prevent this from happening again. I'll try to get the next chapter in as soon as I can. Thanks for your guys reviews. I love them. You guys are awesome!**

**Sorry the ending was bad. I was going to put more in it, but I want to stop here so I can post it already, and I can't go much farther without adding a huge chunk to it, and I don't want to make the chapter too long. I hope you guys liked it. I don't know how many mistakes I made because I didn't thoroughly check for mistakes.**

**I know it was bad for it to end here since the ending seemed rushed, but Vincent wanted to run for it because he was confused, he didn't have time to recover from being shocked, didn't want to get beaten for eavesdropping, and he was eager to have hope of a mother out there somewhere. I wanted to leave this at a cliffhanger. Sorry but I just couldn't resist. Lol. Evil me.**


	21. Meeting Someone New

**Sorry for taking so long with the update. I was on a bit of a writer's block. I'll try not to let it happen again. Thanks for all the reviews. I got over my goal of 100 reviews!!! YAAAH!!! (dances for a few mintutes then stops) Okay, I'm done. Remember no flames. THANK YOU SO MUCH EVERYONE FOR THE REVIEWS!**

**Good news! I recently installed a spell checker program into my computer, and now my chapter will have a lot less spelling mistakes. Whohoo! **

**For a while, update will be slow on this fanfic because I'm officially at the part of the story that wasn't planned out very well because I changed a bunch of things at the last minute. I'm really sorry for this, but I'm trying the best I can. School's been killing me! Updates will be pretty slow for a while because I'm on a huge writer's block.**

**While rereading some chapters I posted, I realized I made a few mistakes (I'm not talking about spelling or grammar). First of all, after reading some of Doc's Omega reports, I realized that Grimoire couldn't of met Lucrecia at least until after she finished college. I also accidentally didn't know SOLDIER didn't come along until years after Vincent was put in a coffin. It's true SOLDIER didn't come until after Vincent being altered, right? I might of made a couple other mistakes, and may need to look into them, but most mistakes I made are only minor. You guys may later notice some changes I made in chapter (mostly dialogue) because I remembered something I was going to put in a plot, and forgot about it. It's hard to explain.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the song Pain by Three Days Grace. **

The rain poured down on my skin as I continued to run. Lightning sounded out in the distance. The fainter Johnathon's footsteps got behind me, the more determined I was to escape. When I approached the outside gate, I forced the door open as swiftly as I could. I went back to running once the gate flew open. Even though my lungs began to burn, I kept forced my legs to move. Johnathon will catch up to me if I don't hurry. Then I took a shortcut by crossing a bunch of yards. Luckily, my home is uphill so I was able to pick up speed. Pretty soon, my feet moved on their own without refusing. The force of running down hill seemed to make my feet feel lighter somehow. Although my lungs kept burning, my adrenaline was able to keep me from stopping.

Whenever my feet complained, I reminded them of finding Mother. I finally reached the bottom, and stopped in front of a road that had a lot of traffic. I can't afford to wait for it to slow down. I gotta go now! That's when I noticed an alley way. At first, I hesitated because alley are a thugs favorite spot. Johnathon will probably call the cops after me or even come after me himself so I settle with cutting through the alley way.

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I could feel my skin crawling as I exited the alley. I felt blessed that nobody has attacked me yet. The park's gate was up ahead of me with only a few cars passing by, so it would be easy to get across. I patiently waited for the stop light to turn red. My breath felt heavy, and my heart continued to drop by the second as I impatiently waited. Moments later, it finally turned red. A weight on my heart lifted from relief as I didn't waste any second to cross. I kept dashing until I finally got halfway through the park. I immediately collapsed into a bench, and caught up in my breathing. My lungs felt like they were on fire. My side cramped from running so much. My legs felt so exhausted that they didn't want to move ever again. The rain made my cloths heavier, making my run more difficult. The rain was freezing. It felt like I was taking a cold shower.

Once I got enough air, I thought back to what I just heard without letting the thunder and rain bothering me.

_A mother...I can't believe it. I always thought Laccara was my mother but...I don't remember her too well or anything, but I'm still both pretty happy and shocked, even mad and worried while I'm at it._

_I can't believe my father would do such a thing at such at a young age. All my life, I known him as well-organized, flawless, and...responsible. Now I barely know who he is anymore. I didn't know him that well because he was hardly home anyway, but I even know less about him! It's hard to believe he's my even father!_

_Now what do I do? I don't have any money. Johnathon already changed the password to the bank account already after he found out about me wandering off into the city. I don't have anything except the cloths on my back and my glasses._

My heart dropped when I remember Luesa's guitar and my skateboard I hid in the closet in my room.

_MY SKATEBOARD!!! LUESA'S GUITAR!!! OH!!! I wish I at least grabbed her guitar! _

I decided to get my mind off the guitar, and back on Mother.

_How am I going to find her? I can't just go find Father confront him about it. He might just lie, and make it even tougher for me. I doubt Johnathon would tell me whether I return to him myself or he captures me. Luesa is a detective, she could probably help me but...it might make things worse. She's already all over Johnathon about abusing me, and he's sure to find out before I really find my mother._

_Should I really go on this quest or should I stick to Father? Wait a minute...WHY SHOULD I CARE ABOUT HIM!? He's barely done anything for me but made me suffer. He's abandoned me to his siblings, hardly ever visits me or even calls me, and he probably helped Johnathon take me from Mother in the first place. For now on, Father means nothing to me. Once I find Mother, I can start my own happy life. They'll no longer have control over me. I'll murder them if I have to._

_Where is mother anyway? Does she think about me? Does she care about me? Yes, she must care about me. Johnathon did admit that it was hard to take me away from her. She must be heart broken. I'll find her...somehow, and I'll be the best son she can ever have._

_Where will I go? Mrs. Allen and Doug already moved away. I definitely can't go to Luesa because if I'm caught at her house, it'll be an excuse for Johnathon to put her in jail. I don't want that! She's done way too much for me. I don't have any friends at school to help me. It's even worse for me to go home now that I know too much and ran off like I did. I just gotta remember I'll be free once I find Mother. I gotta remember she'll be worth it. No more getting beaten. No more getting insulted. No more starving. No more being touched and frequently raped. No more torture. No more false hope. For now, I have to search the city for shelter._

A police siren's screech out in the distant caused me to jump to my feet and take off. Johnathon must of alerted them. I'll be the last heir to the Valentine name, so the police will be hard to shake off.

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My blood ran cold as I wandered around the horrid street. Heading down here is probably the worst idea I ever had in my life! Just by glancing at it, I knew it was trouble. The street was lined with abandoned buildings that were either destroyed, battered, or had a out of business sign on it. A couple vehicles were abandoned at the side of the road. Many homeless people struggled to keep a fire in a firing can burning. Some gang-like people glared at me with their piercing eyes as I passed. I tried not to turn my back on them for too long because I didn't want to give them the chance to attack me. Luesa taught me this.

The sight of a couple gangsters fighting each other only a few feet from me caused me to flee as I speedily could. I didn't bother to glance behind me even though I'm making myself an easier target. I could feel relief as I approached the corner at the end, away from this deadly street. My heart rapidly beaten from joy as I made the turn, but I didn't have too long to enjoy it. A strong hand seized me by the collar just as I turned, and I got slammed into the brick wall. The hard wall made me yelp loudly as my back slammed into it. Within seconds, I was forced to face the wall. Strong hands forced my hands behind my back. I didn't scream because I was so shocked at how fast this is happening. I wasn't scared either because I didn't get the chance to be.

A hand from behind me covered my mouth, causing a great chill to go down my spine.

"Quiet, unless you want me to kill you right now," My attacker commanded.

The strange thing was that I wasn't that scared of getting killed. Maybe it's because I don't have much to lose, and I'm secretly mentally suicidal. The only reason I haven't killed myself yet is because I don't want Joey's sacrifice to be in vain. The only thing that scared me about getting killed by him is never finding out who my real mother is. If I'm going to die, I want to die loved by somebody.

"C'mon!" My captor lead me towards a alleyway, keeping his grip on my arms so I can't face him. For a unknown reason, none of his leading seemed to forceful.

_Maybe this guy will be easy to escape. What if he has a weapon? I guess I can't risk that without knowing for sure. I guess I have no choice._

Not wanting to get killed by him, I obediently followed.

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After probably fifteen minutes of being led, I found myself walking in a abandoned warehouse. My captor let go of my arms, causing me to tumble forward. Once I landed on the floor, I wasted no time to get up, not even caring about feeling a bit sore from falling. I faced him, and studied him as quickly as I could. He was wearing a black ski mask with a black t-shirt and silver, baggy sweat pants. Lot of his features were covered so I don't have much except he has blue eyes and is probably two to three years older than me. I didn't spot a weapon on him, but didn't move because this felt too easy. There has to be a catch.

When a sudden flash blue flashed in front of my eyes, my arms reacted and caught the object. It only took seconds for me to realize that I was holding a electric guitar! It was a sapphire blue with light blue lightning decorating its sides. At the corner of my eye, I spotted the guitar's cord plugged into a electric circuit. Did he plan any of this?! I didn't have much of a chance to think because right when I faced him, a dagger was pointed towards my neck. My captor dropped a guitar pick in front of me, letting it land on the hard floor.

"Play or I'll kill you," my captor threatened, still pointed the dagger towards my neck.

Panic gained control of my body, causing me to swiftly pick up the guitar pick off the floor, and back up on instinct. At light speed, my fingers played the song I've been working on, Pain. I played so swiftly, as my life depended on it. I don't know how, but every note flashed in my mind as if I was directly looking at the paper I wrote the song on. My eyes focused on my fingers and the guitar. My heart raced as my eyes shifted back and forth, watching my captor and my playing at the same time. My fingers slightly trembled as I stricken the strings, struggling to not let the pick slip out my fingers. Sweat formed on my forehead, making part of my bangs sticking to my forehead. My heart's pumps rapidly accelerated until it felt like it was going to burst out of my chest. My breathing became heavy. My blood felt both cold and hot from the fear and panic that ran through my body.

Even small moments seemed to take forever, as I kept up the cell dropping business for who knows how long. After probably several minutes of keeping this up, my captor put out his hand for me to stop playing. My fingers immediately froze, still feeling numb from my adrenaline kicking. My eyes focused on him, watching for any threatening movements.

"You pass," He informed in such a low tone it was hard to hear.

My mind began to spin. Did I hear him right? If I did, what is he talking about? "W-what?"

"I said you passed the test," He said once more, only louder this time.

"T-t-test?" My body went numb as a blend of emotions overwhelmed my mind. I didn't know rather to feel relieved, confused, angry, etc. My heart kept pumping loudly, nearly blocking out my hearing. Tremendous fear doesn't disappear that easily.

My captor chuckled and removed his mask, revealing his true identity. Besides him having brown eyes, I got to see more of his features. His auburn colored hair reached just at the tip of his shoulders. His hair was pretty wild, kind of spiky-like (A/N: It's kinda like Leon's hair style from Kingdom Heats II, except it's more wild). His front spiky bangs over lapped his eyes, partly covering them. Just by looking at his face, you can see rebellion written all over him.

"Sorry about that," My captor apologized. "I needed to test ya. My boss has had an eye on you for a while. We sometimes saw you strolling about the city with that nice guitar of your's in your hand, and we wanted to see how good you were. Finding you was worth the trouble after all."

The only thing keeping me from blazing in anger was his comments and relief to be safe. "T-thank you." It was all I can squeeze out of my throat. I was beginning to wonder where he was going with all this. "W-why did you do all this?"

"We got a opening for a guitarist for my band, and wanna see if your interested. It's kinda a good paying job as long as you can jam. My manager has been pulling his hair out of his skull cause he's stressing over this empty space in the band." I was about to ask him more about the job, but he started walking ahead of me. My feet didn't budge. It's probably because I'm curious about what he's doing. Once he was a few feet ahead of me, he paused and turned towards me. "Are ya comin'?" Thunder sounding in the distance caused me to jump and dash by his side on instinct. Right when I caught up with him, I felt like such a dork, embarrassing myself like that in front of him.

We both headed outside the warehouse, to find that a black van was parked outside. The rebellion-looking teen walked further ahead of me, and pulled the door open for me. "If your interested into my offer, come with us. You'll have to talk to my boss. Don't worry. We won't bite."

I knew better than to get in the car with a stranger, but a police siren sounding close drilled in my thoughts. Wherever that want to take me, it's got to be better than "home." Feeling a didn't have much of a choice, I stepped in with the rebel following me inside. He closed the door behind him, and the van took off. For a second I glanced at the driver, then at the rebel.

"Sorry, I didn't get the chance to properly introduce myself. The name's Skull Basher. It's not my real name, but I prefer to go by my band nickname. What's your's?"

For a few moments, I hesitated. Everything was happening so fast, a lot of my emotions were being left behind, and having trouble catching up to me. I guess I can say I'm either nervous or scared. As if I was getting ready to touch a rabid dog, I reached out my hand slowly and nervously to shake his hand. "I-It's Vince."

Skull Basher grabbed my hand swiftly and shook it with a smirk developed on his face. "Y'know, kid? I think I like you already."

**Sorry the chapter was short, rushed, and cheap compared to my other chapter. I almost went a entire month without updating! I can't believe that! I'm extremely sorry. I was on a BAD writer's block and wanted to think out everything. Sorry this chapter is messed up. I just wanted to updated so I wouldn't keep you guys waiting. I promise the next chapter will make up for all of it. This chapter was a huge pain to write. I had to reread it two times! Please don't be mad at me. I'm trying. I just want to stop it here because I need to look up a couple things.**

**You guys better appreciate the spell checking program I installed because I installed it for only you guys, and it was a HUGE pain to install. I promise the next chapter won't take as long to write, it'll be longer, and better. **

**I've been trying to write my own songs because I don't like borrowing songs, but it's not going too well. I came up with a bunch of lyrics, but decided I don't like them, so I'm starting over. Until I come up with my own songs or until the story is over, I'm gonna have to borrow some song lyrics for a while. Song writing isn't as easy as it looks so don't flame me for borrowing a song. I already claimed I don't own the song, alright? Bye for now.**


	22. Skull Basher

**I'm REALLY sorry for taking so long. I was busy with updating my other fanfics. ****I just realized I might of confused you guys with Vincent's age. He's still only fifteen. I might of confused you guys when he corrects Lenny in chapter four when he's saying he's fifteen, and his birthday was only a couple months away. He considered himself fifteen because his birthday seemed so close. Sorry, usually when my birthday is near, I consider myself year older sooner than I should. **

"Hey kid, something eatin' ya?" Skull Basher questioned.

I took my gaze off the window, and made eye contact with him for the first time. "N-no. I just..."

"The law keeping you down?"

"Sorta." I couldn't help to speak in a very low tone. This just felt too easy. I must be missing something.

"Don't sweat it, man." Skull Basher put his hand on my shoulder. I slightly flinched. It's been ages since someone has gotten this close to me, and I'm not counting Johnathon, Andrew, or Veronica. "You seem...jumpy. Did your old man chew you out?"

I don't know what to say to him. I don't even know where to start.

"If you don't want to tell me, then you don't have to," he continued. "I only asked because you seemed scared out of your mind when I found you."

This isn't the first time I flinched from someone's touch...

_Joey and I was playfully arguing about something stupid at on the shore of Northsky Falls. He shot comebacks at each other. Like children, we pushed each other back and forth. After a while, it finally got the point where we wrestled on the sandy ground. Sand was flinged in various directions. My muscles strained to fight for dominance, yet not hurt Joey at the same time. I was stronger than him, but I had to be careful with how I handled this fight. After a while, I grew tired of fighting so I just let Joey pen me to the ground._

_"Ha, got you!" Joey's blue eyes made contact with mine._

_"Okay, you win. Now get offa me."_

_"Oh, c'mon, Vince. It's just a bit of fun."_

_I sighed, and lied there patiently, waiting for him to be done. Suddenly within seconds, I felt uneasy. Something just didn't feel right about this position. My stomach turned, demanding me to push him off him. I ignored this urge first. A chill went down my spine. My blood started to feel cold. My heart pounded so rapidly that it felt like it was going to burst out of my chest. At light speed, Joey suddenly became Andrew, with his demonic eyes and smile. Panic took complete control of my body. It immediately caused me to kick Joey off with both my legs. He yelped and went flying. For who knows how long, I lied back there in shock without realizing what I done. Once I finally recovered, I sat up to find Joey slowly getting up. What I've done punched me hard in the stomach the instant I glanced his way. I jumped to me feet, and ran towards him. I must of kicked him pretty hard because he was a few feet from me, and it was taking him a lot of time to get up._

_Joey was already half way up when I reached him, but I wanted to help him anyway. Some of the leftover fear I felt earlier still caused my movements to be shaky. _

_"Joey...are you..."_

_Before my hand could reach his arm to help him up, he smacked my hand away. I was shocked by what he just did even though I knew he had a right to be mad. He finished standing up while I stood there helplessly. Right when Joey fully standing, he bent over and covered his stomach. He didn't even look at me. _

_"Joey..." I approached him from his left side._

_He immediately harshly glared at me then shouted, "WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU!!!???"_

_This stunned me right away. I NEVER, I mean NEVER heard Joey use hell in vain. His expression was so angry it seemed he turned into a stranger. I must of kicked him harder than I thought._

_"I..."_

_"Just don't talk to me!" Joey commanded with some venom in his voice. He headed closer towards the water, then sat a few feet away from it. His back was faced toward me. My stomach turned. I felt a strange knot in my chest. Without many options, I sat down, facing away from him._

_After probably a half hour passed, Joey finally said something._

_"Sorry."_

_I snapped back to reality. I was so lost in my guilty thoughts, I forgot Joey wasn't sitting far behind me. I looked over my shoulder, and saw that Joey was standing behind me. His expression had changed to guilty. _

_I jumped to my feet, and replied, "N-no, I should apologize. I-I-I got carried away. I...don't know what came over me. Sorry."_

_Joey grinned, which made me feel a little less guilty. My thoughts whirled. Even though he forgave me, I wish there was someone I could blame. Maybe I should blame Andrew for torturing me in the past, Jonathon for letting it happen, and maybe Father for leaving me unprotected. I knew I was as much to blame for letting what Andrew did get to me, but something just made me want to blame someone even though I couldn't blame them in front of Joey openly._

_"Vince?"_

_"Huh? What?"_

_"You freaked out on me, why?"_

_"I...don't know. I just...snapped."_

_"Something's wrong! I know it!" Joey swiftly approached me until we were face to face._

_His move startled me, and caused me to jump backwards. "No, what makes you say that." I waved my hands sideways as if trying to add more effect to my lie._

_Joey's eyes narrowed a suspicious look. My only way out was to change the subject. "How hard did I kick you?"_

_Joey still had a bit of suspicious expression, but he still bothered to answer my question. "REALLY hard!"_

_"Did I leave a bruise?"_

_"It doesn't look too serious." Joey lifted his shirt to reveal a huge bruise that was so dark, it was nearly black. My eyes widened. I never knew I could kick THAT hard! My stomach dropped so low I felt like it was going to cause me to collapse. Jonathon used to leave bruises on me like that all the time, and I know how much they hurt. No wonder Joey didn't talk to me for so long!_

_"Joey, I'm..."_

_"It's fine." Joey lowered his shirt. _

_"But..."_

_"It's not like you murdered a government official or anything. I told you it's okay. You didn't crack a rib, so it'll easily heal._

_He continued to question about what was wrong with me for ages. Then I finally managed to sliver out of the conversation and switch to another._

_"I'm just wondering. When will your dad be home? I just would like to ask him a few things. I never got to meet him on your birthday. Did something happen?"_

_I truly wanted to introduce Joey to him, but I wanted to be sure Father actually arrived before I brought him to the mansion. If I did bring him before Father came, Jonathon would of scared Joey away before he even had the chance to stay for a few moments. Then he would know about me sneaking out. If Father came, I would of been safe. He couldn't touch me or Joey. If Jonathon scared Joey away after he met Father, then Father would of known something was wrong. He would surely ask why he doesn't come over or why he stopped being my friend. He would keep asking questions until it might of led him into knowing about the abuse. _

_"I...he didn't show up. Something came up." I lowered my head, ashamed of hardly having my father home._

_"Okay, don't worry about it." He patted me on the back. "It's nothing too important. Just introduce me to him at a good time."_

_"I'm sure you'll meet him soon. Next time he comes, I'll invite you over."_

_Little did I know he was going to die the next day._

"Kid? Heeelllllooo! You in there?"

I snapped back to reality, and saw Skull Basher hand waving in front of my face. I blinked then looked at him. "Sorry, what?"

"Whew!" He brought his hand back to his side. "I was worried about you there. You seemed to of...drifted off."

"Sorry...I...was just thinking about someone."

"Who?"

"Just a friend."

"We're here!"

Skull Basher pushed the door open, then stepped out. The driver I nearly forgot about, stepped out and headed inside a building. Skull Basher motioned for me to follow as he ran. I hesitated at first. At least the rain stopped. The building was another rundown warehouse. Windows were mostly cracked or broken. The paint on it had already faded into a unpleasant gray. That's all I can say about it because it wasn't anything too special, just junky. After stepping out, I slammed the car door shut, and ran inside. Some of the mud nearly glued my feet to the ground as I ran.

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"When did you say they would be here again?" I was sitting on a tightly sealed wooden box with my chin resting on my bent knees.

"They should of been here by now." Skull Basher checked his wrist watch once more, then paced back forth.

I sighed, and hummed a tune. The warehouse had countless abandoned wooden boxes. I don't know what's in most of them. A couple of them have labels, but weren't anything special, just mostly stuff like can openers and junk.

Five minutes probably passed when I heard footsteps pounding on the concrete floor. I turned my gaze towards two figures. At first, the piled up boxes' shadows covered them.

"FINALLY you're here!" Skull Basher said impatiently as he trooped towards them.

Once the shadowy figures stepped out into the light, I could see them more clearly. One was a teenage girl, probably only one year older than me. Her violet hair was so short, it didn't grow past her head. The only long part of her hair was her two bangs, which reached down to her chin. A beauty mark is perfectly placed on her left cheek. Here green eyes seem to be extremely darkened by her eye shadow, giving her a bit more of a wicked look. As for her cloths, her baggy pant are camouflaged. They are a bit loose as the hang a bit too low on her hips (Why do I feel like a pervert mention this?). Her silver colored jacker had its sleeves completely torn off. The bottom part of it was nearly torn off too, but it still reached half down her upper body. Beneath her badly ripped jacket was a satin shirt that has a picture of a heart and two angel wings. Her ears had so many piercings on the edges it nearly completely over it.

The other one had a more plainer look. His shirt was black, and read 'GOT A STARING PROBLEM?' in red funky text. His pants were black jeans with some chains in various places. His ebony hair hung just a little above his shoulders. His brown eyes seemed piercing somehow even though he doesn't seem to notice me. I have to admit he's more built than me and Skull Basher. I can't calculate his age for sure because he seems too quite to me too young. I guess he's either the same age as Skull Basher or a little older.

"Sorry, we're late," the violet haired female said while approaching Skull Basher with older male following her. "We had a schedule conflict."

"When I say for you to be somewhere, I expect for you to come on time, especially when we could finally have a guitarist! Just feel lucky that he's patient enough to..."

"Hey, hey, hey!" the bigger band member interjected. "At least we're here, right?"

Skull Basher rubbed his forehead with two of his finger, expressing irritation. "Tell that to the boss, not me."

"Hey, kid!" The violet haired female nearly came out of nowhere! She startled me so badly, she nearly caused me to fall off the box I was sitting on. Her emerald eyes met mine, nearly piercing me somehow with the wild spirit that was visible through them. "What? Ya scared of me or something?"

No words formed though my head. I wish I could glance away so I can think straighter, but her eyes somehow magnetized mine.

"Cut it out!" Skull Basher commanded while lightly pushing her away. "Wanna scare him away?"

"I...don't get as scared as easily," Hey, what possessed me to say that!?

Everyone gazed in my direction. For a few moments, there was only silence. They seemed a bit surprised with what I said as if I was suppose to be mute who suddenly talked. Maybe they thought I was mute. I didn't talk to Skull Basher too much.

"You've barely said much back in the van," Skull Basher pointed out. "At least we know you're not mute."

"Uh...ain't I suppose to talk to someone?"

"What? Oh! You mean our boss. Geez, I nearly forgot." Skull Basher strided towards a door at the back of the warehouse. "This way."

He pointed toward the door, showing me where I was suppose to go. I obeyed, then slowly cracked the door. It seemed a dim. There was light, but just a little.

"Go on. The boss won't bite. You didn't do anything to irritate him yet," Skull Basher assured.

I gulped, and lightly pushed the door, causing it to open fully on it's own. In the room, I can see a worn down desk, and a man sitting in a chair. He was gazing at me. Something pulled at me. I'm know sure of myself anymore.

_C'mon! Let's get outta here!_ I slightly cringed. I haven't heard the voice in my head for ages.

Hey, since when did I listen to him? Everything he said is the opposite of the right thing to do. All I have to do it disobey him. I disobey him nearly all the time, and I'm usually satisfied. I slowly forced my feet to move. When I got closer to the man, I had a better view of him. I could tell he was middle ages somehow. His hair was was ebony on the top, but on the low back of it was a slate gray color. His chin was a bit of a square shape. His eyes seem to be a brown, maybe. His outfit was basically a black dress suit with a tie, what business men often where. Hmm, I thought rock band bosses had more of a...trashy style.

"Nice for us to finally meet face to face. Take a seat." Without much thought, I dragged a chair from the side of the room I just noticed, then dragged it in front of the desk. I nearly collapsed in the chair. Too much cell dropping movements can exhaust just about everyone, especially when it all happens in one night. "Here's a contract I want you to sign if you want to join." The apparent business tycoon pulled out a small stack of paper from underneath his desk. "Allow me to explain how this contract works. Let's start with the payment you get."

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By the time he finished telling me about they're opening, I was eager to jump to the chance.

"We also have an extra job you can do. You get major cash if you do this job, but it's not a simple job as being a water boy. We also need someone to write lyrics for the band. Ever since our last writer grew greedy with the payment, we got into thousands of agreements a day until he finally quited. I really didn't like him anyway, but it's sad. Not many people can write songs as good as him. This job is only a extra job, so it's not a requirement for you to accept it. You can refuse if you want. I wouldn't blame you. I tried to get Skull Basher to write some but he couldn't even write three good lyrics! His voice isn't too bad. Thousands of fan girls scream for him anyway, but all he mostly does is sing and play bass.

So, you interested in writing some of the lyrics.

"Yes!" I was beyond excited. The job sounds like a walk in the park. I already thought of a few songs.

"It's really sad how we lost our last guitarist. I was actually starting to like him, but like me and the last writer, Skull Basher and him kept having their little..."wars" so after awhile he grew tired with fighting him so he quit the band. I tried to bring him back, but he continued to refuse. I think he later joined another band.

Now about the song writing. For the music itself, Skull Basher will be doing most of it if you need assistance. You mostly just have to do lyrics if you want, BUT before I can hire you as a writer, I gotta look at your lyrics first. For today, you can sign up as a guitarist. Skull Basher saw how you played in the city and during the test earlier so you don't need to prove yourself right now. If you want the job, I'll look at your lyrics some other time. I gotta make sure they're good enough to actually be put in a song. In the meantime, we'll either use some of our old songs or use the few that the writer wrote right before he left the band. We still have the copyright to them."

"I'm just wondering. How does the band work with fans? I mean, how famous are they? I've never heard of them, but I've been occupied a lot lately."

"They're more of a underground band. We sometimes have concerts around the city, but we try to keep a low profile. There are some business tycoons out there who would do whatever it takes to steal the band away from me by offering a bigger pay. We're just slowly pacing ourselves to fame. We're know well throughout the Tech City, but other cities and towns aren't really familiar with us. We have more reasons to be hidden, but that's classified until you're a official member which can take a few days after you sign this contract. I also can't tell you the band name or the name of the other band members for more security purposes. Skull Basher wasn't even suppose to reveal his name."

"Alright, may I have a pen?"

"Well...before you can sign up...I need you to do a...few favors for me."

"What kind of favors?"

"They're mostly for your appearance. You may need a new wardrobe, but I can provide that for you. The real problem is your glasses."

"W-what's wrong with my glasses?" My heart dropped. I'm probably never getting into the band all because I there dorky glasses. It's all Jonathon's fault! If he didn't force me to read so much, my eyesight wouldn't of been ruined in the first place. Even the eye doctor mentioned the books most likely could of ruined them.

"We need to find a way for you to get rid of them. We can't have you playing during a concert with them on. It's...just not rock star like."

"I can take them off during a concert. PLEASE! I can do it."

"It's not that simple. You know as well as I do that you won't be able to see the guitar strings clearly, and it'll ruin the songs. Besides, you guys sometimes go to after concert parties to get more in touch with fans. The glasses might make people get the wrong idea"

"I can get laser eye surgery!" I stood up from my chair as I said it. Panic was starting to take over. My words came out without thought. Laser eye surgery is dangerous because it's brand new, and no one knows if it's safe or not. I didn't have the heart to back down now. I'm disparate to join the band even if I got to take chances.

"I dunno. Isn't that procedure...dangerous? I don't know if I can help you pay for that."

"I-I can do it! I'll find the money for it somehow."

"Deal. If you can somehow get the surgery, and it works out, then you're in."

I was silent for a while. My emotions were mixed with fear and guilt of what I said dominant. The surgery sounds frightening. How can I go thought with it!? How do I get the money for it? My heart kept dropping further and further as my plan was formed. I have no choice but to return home and somehow steal the money. I can't join the band, so I'll be left to wander the streets. I don't have money so I can't get anything to eat, and I can't stay anywhere. I'll be dog bait by morning. Maybe Jonathon will be in a better mood if I bear with staying in a box or something, then return the next day. He should at least cool off enough to remember Luesa is on to him.

"Something wrong?"

I snapped back the reality, and remember my position. "Y-yeah, I was just thinking about something. I'll be leaving now." I pulled myself up than started heading for the door.

"Wait!" His command made my stop, but I didn't look back at him, in fear of showing how unsure I felt. "I better give you a week to think about this and be repaired. If you still wanna join by the next week of today, than you meet us at this warehouse. Remember it's warehouse 48 on Kimrod Street. Got it?"

"Yes. I'll remember. Promise."

I closed the door behind me, and got ready to leave. I still had no clue where to go. As I passed, Skull Basher and the other's, I spotted them with a bottle of beer in one hand. They were laughing, and lost in their conversation to notice me at first.

I was about to exit the door when Skull Basher called out to me. "Hey, wanna sip?"

I glanced over my shoulder and could see Skull Basher holding a spare beer bottle out to me. I didn't know what to say. I want to be accepted but I don't want to drink beer either. You know how you've known all your life how bad beer is, and was always repaired to say no? I always knew I was suppose to do this, but it somehow didn't feel as easy as I thought. The strange things is that he's not begging me, just asking. To avoid getting either negative result, I simply made up a excuse. "I want to be sober enough to head home. If I'm caught drunk on the streets, surely some guy would jump on me and try to mug me."

"I guess you're right. It's been awful lately. Our beer supply has been drying up. Damn new underage drinking law."

I didn't bother saying goodbye before I left. It somehow felt unnatural.

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My eyes continued to droop, making it hard for me to watch out where I was going. My legs threatened to give out on me. My limps felt numb yet exhausted at the same time. Drowsiness kept pounding my head over and over as I used as much as my strength to stay awake. I knew it was pretty late. I know the city never completely sleeps, but there weren't that many people out there. I'm too tired to even care what they look like. If this keeps up, I may be a easy target for any typical criminal. I knew I should be scared, but I just felt too exhausted to care about much, even my own safety. The piercing cold wind helped me stay awake. It would sometimes stab my eyes like a knife. I even have to worry about sticking out any part of my teeth because whenever the wind hits them, they instantly feel like they were turned into ice cubes. I kept passing shop after shop after shop, and still wasn't getting any where. For all I know, I'm lost. I don't think I've ever than to this part of the city before. The only reason I was able to get around the city in the past is because I hung around Joey so much I didn't really have to know for myself where things were. Joey mostly did that for me because he lived in Tech City all his life.

I was ready to just give up, and fall asleep in the middle of the sidewalk. I just didn't seem to care anymore. I just wanted to sleep. Even the icy wind isn't enough to keep me awake after awhile. My eyes were starting to close even though my legs were moving on autopilot. Then I widened my eyes the best I could to keep them myself from falling asleep. I was starting to lose my battle with sleep. Luckily, there aren't any vehicles around so I'm safe as long as I don't wander on the roads too much in case a car shows up. My sleep battle became pointless to fight. I started to give in. My eyes started to slowly close more, meaning I'm going to fall asleep any minute. My eyes were about half way closed when the sound of a motorcycle engine roaring irrupted my near slumber. My eyes flew open. I swiftly rotated to glance behind me, where I heard the engine.

My vision was a bit blurry from nearly falling asleep, so I couldn't register who was coming towards me at first. I blinked, hoping my vision would be cleared up. The biker came closer and closer while my vision slowly returned. Suddenly it hit me. It has to be Luesa. I would recognize that red motorcycle anywhere. This thought caused some relief and a bit of excitement to serge through me, causing my vision to immediately and fully return. Luesa slowly slid to a stop right next to me. Nearly at light speed, she got off our bike, not forgetting to put down the kick stand. She went over to me, and embraced me. This shocked me. This is WAY out of Luesa's character. Normally, she's a cool and calm type person who didn't react to anything much, except for the that one time when Carter, also known to me as _vampire biker_.

"You're alright," Luesa said in a soft tone as she continued to embrace me. "I was worried someone kidnapped you. A witness told me a guy snatched you and..." She never finished. She released me, than removed her stylish bike helmet. She held her helmet at the tip of her fingers in one hand, and grabbed my shoulder with her free hand. "DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I WAS WORRIED ABOUT YOU!?" Her shout caused me to cringe the instant it came out of her mouth. I NEVER heard her shout like this. Not even during the vampire biker incident.

"Every cop in the city is looking for you!" Instead her shouting now, her voice became sharp. It pierced me so badly, it nearly left like my ear drums were going to pound. "If everybody in the city knew what was happening, there would be monstrous panic going around! This would cause enormous conflict! Everyone in the force is making such a big deal about it, their considering to send a helicopter after you! I've seen looking for you ever since I got the call. Do you realize how much trouble you caused?"

Even though I knew it might be a death wish, I took my gaze off the ground and directed them towards Luesa's eyes. Even with her sunglasses on, I could see the great concern, anger, and maybe even fear in her eyes. This seemed like a strange dream. I always thought it's completely impossible for Luesa to be like this. EVER.

"What happened!? I wanna know what caused you to run away like that! Was your uncle about to kill you!? What's wrong!?" Luesa's voice became more frantic. She no longer seemed to be Luesa, but a emotional woman that often is the type a mother would normally be. Luesa kept surprising me more and more, nearly causing me to be wide awake.

I was exhausted. I wanted to answer yet I didn't at the same time. I didn't feel like saying anything. Her state nearly made it unbearable to leave her hanging, so I just told her part of the truth. I couldn't make any more eye contact with her at the moment anymore, though. She removed her hand from my shoulder, and gave me a chance to speak.

"I-I...heard Uncle talking about my mother. My...real mother. I never knew...Laccarra wasn't my mother. I...freaked out, and...wanted to find her. I just want to know who she is. Before her name was mentioned, Veronica caught me."

No more words were exchanged for several moments, which felt like hours. I hoped Luesa would say something first because I don't know how to keep this up. I finally gave in to the silence, and made eye contact with her...at least I tried. She looked away from me. Her lips were lower than they should be.

"L-Luesa?" I hate the silence. I want her to say something. Anything at all. Without looking at me, she got on her bike, placed her helmet back on her head, and motioned for me to get on the back of it.

"Hop on." Luesa's voice had no emotion, as if hiding her feelings. Drowsiness started to return to my body, so I wasn't in the mood to argue or ask question. I obeyed, and embraced her to prevent me from falling off later. It didn't feel right, but I was in too much of a lousy mood to care. "Hold on." Luesa started up her bike, and made a turn to the left after getting to a fork in the road.

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"Won't you get in trouble for bringing me to your house, and not home?" I asked with a nervous voice.

Luesa setted a pillow with a plain white pillow case at the right side of the couch for me. "Yes, HUGE trouble, since I didn't even report finding you. The force is still going on a frantic search for you. If anyone asks, just tell them I found you at dawn, and took you to my house for safe keeping in case your uncle had 'ideas.'" Luesa motioned for me to lie back on the pillow.

"I wish you would at least let me investigate those scars on you," she continued while grabbing a folded blue blanket off one of her armchairs. She unfolded the blanket, and covered it over me. "I can't help you if you don't open up. If the law didn't keep me down so much, I would of done a more drastic action. If I do anything against the law I'll be doing more harm for you than be helping you. I would be put in jail so the case will either be closed or it'll just completely start over and all evidence I find will be meaningless. I also gotta watch my movements because you're family is powerful, and I could really cause a world crisis if my moves are wrong. The government needs to take child abuse more seriously. I'm being severely dragged down for the lack of having authority by the force to do some actions. I can't look at those scares without getting your permission."

"So...tired." The words barely escaped my mouth before Luesa could say anything else. I was close to falling asleep any minute. Ever listening her is too much for me.

Luesa just plainly sighed. "Alright, I'll leave you alone, but only because this has been a long night."

"What...about homework? I left it all in the mansion."

"Don't worry about it. I'll cover you with the teachers. I'll also take you to the mansion and school myself to assure nothing bad happens to you. If your preppy uncle tries anything while you get your homework, I'll know about it, and it may be enough to put him in jail. I seriously doubt he'll try anything because he knows better. You sure you don't want my bed, and I'll take the couch instead?"

"Yeah, I have no problem sleeping on the couch."

"I'm no longer going to lay off as I did these past months. I'm wanna talk to your father himself. I don't care if he's looking for a cure for cancer. I'll hunt him down and drag here to Tech City myself if I have to."

I couldn't help but to chuckle. I know she would get arrested if she did that. My eyes were starting to droop again, but I somehow managed to stay awake long enough to listen to Luesa as she continued.

"Grimoire really needs a good kick in the butt. Even though he was a genius back in the old days and still is, he could be boneheaded at times. He was mature a lot for his age, but he sometimes let his immaturity get the best of him. I just knew one of these it would get him into trouble. Even today, he's being a bit of a bonehead despite his greatly grown maturity."

"What? Huh?" I didn't fully understand what she said. I'm too tired to process the words in my head. I must of heard wrong.

"It's nothing. Just rest. Good night." Luesa strided towards the light switch near the door, flicked them off, then made her way upstairs to her room.

My eyes slowly closed. I could feel sleep taking over until finally everything went black.


	23. The War Isn't Over

**In this chapter, I'm doing something new so you may want to read this note. In this chapter, I'm switching with Luesa and Vincent's point of view. It's not going to be too confusing, promise. I don't think I'm going to do this very much in this chapter, though. But I can nearly guarantee I may do this again in a few of future chapters. The beginning is still Vincent's point of view. That's it for author's notes.**

The sky remained a golden color like it was when I first woke up. The early wind felt chilly as I stood there in front of the mansion's front door. My eyes were slightly drooping for not being able to go the sleep after that last nightmare I had. I kept staring at the well craved, wooden door, hesitating about entering. It felt like I was about to walk straight in a hell hole. Wait, I take it back. I AM heading straight for a hell hole. I glanced back at Luesa, who was still sitting on her motorcycle not too far from me. She continued to gaze at me, keeping watch for me. I turned my head towards the door once more. My hand reached out for the knob, but stopped halfway. It felt frozen in place from the fear that kept bumping around inside, nearly daring me to run out of there as soon as I could. My body started to burn, yet it felt like it was frozen in ice at the same time. I could feel sweat forming on my forehead. Pretty soon my arm, and the rest of me began to tremble. Oxygen that I inhaled and exhale felt shallow. My heart pounded so loudly, it nearly blocked out my hearing. It's been so long since it pounded that way.

_I'm gonna have to face him either way, so I might as well do it now while Luesa is with me._

I gulped at this thought, but knew it had to be done. After awhile, I finally managed to shake my arm out of its frozen position. Before I realized what I was doing, hand was already wrapped around the knob. After taking a few more deep breaths, I managed to force my hand into twisting the knob. A click came once I completely twisted, signaling me to pull the door open. I wanted to work fast to keep myself from changing my mind, so I speedily yanked the door open. Then I shut it quickly, but remained careful enough to not slam it too hard. My eyes darts around my surroundings. Lucky for me, no one was in sight. No lights were on yet. Although there was no sign of anyone, I felt a feeling that I wasn't alone. I shook the feeling off, and remember my mission, get my homework and books.

I slowly treaded towards the stairs, trying to be cautious enough into not making my footsteps too land on the marble floor. I'm sadly the unlucky guy who has a enormous doorway that connected nearly all hallways, so the stairs is pretty far from the front door. I nearly cursed under my breath for us not having small rooms like normal people. I tried to keep my ears open, in case Johnathon tried to pull a sneak attack on me, but my thumping heart continued to nearly block out all my hearing. With every step I took, I could feel more goosebumps forming. With every breath I took, my body switched from burning to freezing rapidly. My thoughts bounced around in my head as I thought about the consequences of being caught. My body nearly vibrated from trembling so badly. If my heart wasn't blocking my hearing, maybe me heavy breaths will. Either way, I'm probably a easy target.

The closer I got to the stairs, the more relief I felt washing over me, feeling like a heavy weight was slowly being lifted of my chest. My heart nearly jumped out of my chest from joy when my foot was on the first step, but I didn't get to celebrate too long. In a instant, all the lights flashed on. Right when the light hit my eyes, all my frightened feelings returning, except even worse this time with a turned stomach to go with it. I spun around to find Johnathon leaving the light switch. My brain screeched for me to run, but my feet seemed glued to the ground. As Johnathon gotten closer and closer, my breathing became heavier. My mind spin with ways to escape.

_Why didn't I let Luesa come with me when she asked!? Why did I have to say it was unnecessary!?_

After remembering Luesa was still outside waiting for me, I remember what she said.

_"If he tries anything, I'll know about it."_

All my signs of fear have slightly lessened enough for me to think more clearly. Uncle's face was strangely calm, but it still wasn't friendly. He still have a stern look in his eyes somehow. Once Johnathon was standing right in front of me with his arms crossed on his chest, I embraced myself emotionally to prepared for any hurtful words he would throw at me.

"You have a lot of nerve comin' back after wandering off like you did. If it wasn't for that nosy social worker waiting outside, I would beat some sense into you."

I disparately wanted to say something, ANYTHING to defend myself, but my words remained clogged in my throat. Since my words were stuck inside my throat, I let him continue.

"You already know too much. Just feel lucky you didn't hear HER name or I would have to kill ya. We wouldn't want that, wouldn't we?"

Anger slowly built inside of me for some reason. Maybe it was because of not being told about my real mother. Finally, my words somehow got unclogged, and stopped holding up traffic for other words. "Why can't I know about my mother? Did you murder her or something?" I felt a evil smile form on my face. For once, felt like I was in control somehow.

To both to my surprise and dismay, Johnathon chuckled like I cracked a joke. "Wouldn't you like to know? If you knew the truth, you would be thanking us from taking you away from her. You're a dunce compared to the REAL Valentines, so what should I expect?"

My once proud smile quickly switched to a angry frown. Although I felt sadness, I felt more out of anger anything. "I get it. You don't have to tell me twice. So Father did something so wrong at a young age, how's it my fault?"

At light speed, Uncle pushed me down on the stairs. He restrained me by pushing down on my arms with his hands, and stabbing my legs with his knees. His restraining was so strong and rough, it greatly hurt my arms and leg. His grips and knee's stabbing felt so piercing, they were nearly piercing through my bones. His face turned red, and...WOAH!!! I haven't seen him mad like that in ages!!! The courage I once had immediately abandoned me, making me have to face Uncle's fury alone. He released my left arm to lift his hand, cupping a fist as he raised it. My eyes closed on instinct, preparing for the next blow. My eyes flashed open when I heard Uncle's heavy panting. His major angry expression slightly lessened, but not enough to keep me from nearly panicking. His fist shook above him as if Luesa had tied a rope around his wrist, and was holding it to keep him from hurting me while Uncle struggled.

My trembling worsened even though Johnathon was holding back. In a flash, he held down my left arm with a vicious grip again. The moment his hand made contact with my arm, he pulled me up, and slammed me down on the stair over and over again. My head banged on the carpet stairs as he started to shake me.

"LISTEN GOOD!!!" Johnathon shouted nearly to the top of his lungs as he continued to slam back and forth on the stairs. His glare pierce my soul as my eyes made unavoidable contact with his. "JUST FEEL LUCKY THERE WEREN'T SEX ED CLASSES AT OUR TIME, GRIMOIRE'S DRINK WAS SPIKED BY A IMBECILE AT A PARTY, AND HE WAS GOING THROUGH A VERY ROUGH TIME OR YOU WOULDN'T OF BEEN BORN!!! YOUR MOTHER WAS A WHORE!!! YOU WOULD OF BEEN JUST LIKE HER IF I HAVEN'T KEPT YOU IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION!!! YOU ARE GRIMOIRE'S MISTAKE!!! YOU'RE A ACCIDENT!!! YOU HEAR ME!!!??? A ACCIDENT!!! YOU DESERVED EVERYTHING I'VE DONE TO YOU!!! YOUR NOT A PART OF THIS FAMILY!!! YOU'RE JUST HERE!!! YOU UNGREATFUL PIECE OF $$$$, LISTEN HERE!!! MENTION ANYTHING ABOUT IT AROUND GRIMOIRE AND I'LL..." Johnathon paused right there, panting from screaming so much and anger. After a few moments, he calmed down enough to get off of me.

Even though he was finished, I lied there in shock. Some many emotions hit me at once: anger, depression, shock, confusion, disbelief, hatred, and so on. All the yelling made me feel almost every emotion possible except happy of course. Luckily, a certain lady came to my rescue before Uncle could do anything else to me.

Luesa bursted in the room, nearly slamming the doors into the wall as she opened them. "What's going on in here!?" she demanded while running towards us.

Luesa's POV

The sight was enough to make me want to punch Mr. Valentine lights out! I should of know better than to let Vincent go in here by himself. As I approached Mr. Valentine, I gave him a long and hard glare. His face is red and he's panting. He had to of done something do him. I took my gaze off of him, and took a look at Vincent. He was lying on the stairs probably because his uncle threw them down them. If only I had evidence to heave his uncle in jail but...

"Vincent?" I grabbed his arm and pulled him to his feet. I tried to look in his eyes, but Vincent didn't give me a chance. Whatever his uncle did to him, I'm going to get him for it! "Vince, are you okay?" No answer. Only his panting kept the room from being silent. Was he panting from fear?

"Go get what you need for your room," I ordered Vincent. "I'll keep a eye on your prep of a uncle here." I shot another glare at Mr. Valentine, who was glaring at me. I glimpsed in Vincent's direction to make sure he was doing what I said. Not only did he listen to me, HE'S RUNNING LIKE A RABBIT RUNNING FROM A COYOTE!!!

"I didn't do ANYTHING to him."

I faced his uncle once more. The nerve of him claiming he didn't do anything to him! You'd have to be blind and stupid to think he didn't do anything to his nephew. I didn't buy it. The worst thing is that I'm only here to guard Vincent, and to ask his uncle for what I came for, I couldn't do anything about it. My body temperature rose to hot, begging me to beat him up, but I know the consequences. "I don't buy any of it. You have a lot of nerve." I got closer to Mr. Valentine until we were face to face, even though he's taller than me.

"Look who's talking."

"Let me remind you that I can throw you in jail if you try anything."

"Yeah, and let me remind you that I have more power than you."

"Just feel lucky I'm not here for the investigation of Vincent's abuse."

"Abuse? Woman, you don't know anything."

"Woman!? Well SIR, I may not be a man, but I have more power than any ordinary man."

"Believe what you want. It's your problem, not mine."

My eyes burned. I could feel my body shake from the desire to beat up a certain someone. If I didn't know him so well, I would...I got to remember the mission.

"Have you gathered up your employee's files like I asked?" I asked, trying to keep my tone down. I'm dealing with a dangerous and unstable male.

"Oh yeah, that. You called about it yesterday, right? Wait here, I'll get them."

Mr. Valentine left for a few moments to head into a room. I think that's where the library is. Before long, he walked out with two thick files. "Here!" He shoved the files towards me.

I somehow felt my dignity disappear as I snatched them out of his hands. I felt like I was a whore trying to get money off of him. "Thank...you." The words were broken up with my clenched teeth. The law on this planet really sucks. It's really keeping me down. I examined the papers in the files to be sure he got the right ones.

After I was done looking inside of them, I could see Vincent running down the stairs. He pulled to a stop in front of me. I did promise him I would take him to school myself.

The next thing that man did was so...ugh, I don't even know how to describe it. Let's just say my mood worsened from it.

Mr. Valentine's finger nearly sliced the air as he pointed towards the front door. "Get in the limo! Now! Or you'll be late for school!"

I snatched Vincent by the arm, and pulled him towards me like I was directly protecting him from his uncle. I really did it to show that I'm not letting Vincent take his order. "He's riding with me! He'll be fine with me."

Mr. Valentine snorted at what I said. Why that... "Don't be foolish. He's much safer in the limo than on the metal death trap you call a...motorcycle. There are people looking for him. We need tighter security. We got bodyguard in the limo, and bodyguards secretly watching out for Vincent at his school."

All I could do was tighten my fist because he was right. And after I promised Vincent...almost forgot. "When is Grimo...er, I mean Vincent's father coming for a visit."

His eyes widened as if I asked him about a embarrassing event that happened to him. "Why are you so concern?"

I remember I had Vincent's arm in my grip so I released him then whispered, "Sorry, Vince. I'll give your uncle a good talk, okay?" Vincent ran straight out with his backpack and everything, leaving me to be alone with Mr. Valentine.

What kind of question is that!? "I wanna talk to him."

"You're NOT talking to him!"

"Why? Have something to hide?"

"No! My brother has enough of a burden on his shoulders. Father left him in charge of the family fortune before he died in the hospital after the Kalm Massacre. That's enough to overwhelm about anyone, especially since he has his own job to worry about. I don't see why Father didn't trust me with the fortune. Either way, you have no right to talk to him!"

The more I argued, the more hotter I felt. "I have every right to talk to him. Vincent is Grimoire's son. NOT your's! If you're so tired of arguing with me, we don't you just get Grimoire's butt over here and end this once and for all!"

"Listen you..." I felt victory flow through my veins for a short moment because of Johnathon's pause. Then I realized he wasn't pausing because he had nothing to say. He was pausing because he was staring at something on my face. I would tell by the way his eyes fixed on me. I got to calm down or he might find out...

My heart nearly leapt to my throat when he snatched my sunglasses of my face. His glare narrowed nearly to the maximum. "YOU!!! I KNOW YOU!!!"

My heart nearly pounded out of my chest. I have to act fast! I snatched the glasses out of his hand, then dashed towards the door. My adrenaline nearly gave me super speed. I forced the doors open nearly at light speed, and forced my feet's speed to increase as I jogged down the mansion stoop. I knew he was following me. I would hear his pounding footsteps. I practically jumped on my bike, started the engine, and took off, holding the files in one hand. As I exited out of the already opened black gate that surrounded the mansion, I glanced back at Mr. Valentine for the last time. He was standing there, with a glare piercing even from a great distant.

_How am I going to face him after this? Although he knows now, the war isn't over!_

**I'm sorry for ending the chapter so short. The chapter didn't go as planned. I just followed my writing heart, not my brain. I was going to make it longer by doing a major time skip, but I thought ending it here would be better. Besides, I don't want to keep you guys waiting. As you may of noticed, I used dollar signs to censor a word or two. It was the only symbol that would how up on the document so I had no choice but to use only $ signs.**

**I know I didn't do very well on Luesa's POV, but I'm a LOT more used to writing Vincent in first person than Luesa so it will take some practice. I'm sorry if I left some stuff of Luesa without detail. It's just I had to be careful with what I put because she didn't know for sure what Johnathon did to Vincent, I could of spoiled something if I wasn't too careful, and the conversations were moving pretty fast. It was hard to describe Luesa's feelings when she was mostly too busy arguing with him to notice most of her feelings.**

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I'll try to update soon, but I'm going to go on vacation for four days, starting June 24, so updates might be delayed.**


	24. First Step To Trouble

**I NEARLY GOT almost 6,000 hits!!! WAHOO!!! Okay, I'm done. Thank you everyone for the hits, reviews, favorites, and alerts. I'm proud to have have a story this successive. Compared to other fanfics, I had a small chance of getting many people to like this fanfic, especially since my first three chapters were terrible. **

**You may want to read Abuse's chapters: one, two, three, and maybe four when it comes out or you may be a little confused about a few things in this fanfic in the future. These first chapters of the fanfic is rated T. I haven't really gotten to the bad parts yet, so it's safe for chapter 1-3 to be read by all readers.**

**One more thing. Has anyone noticed that the singer in Three Days Grace sounds a lot like Vincent? Am I the only who noticed it? It's one major reason I let Vincent sing Pain. Not only did it suit him very well, but he also sounded like the singer. **

My stomach kept turning repeatably as I sat in the back seat of the limo. The three body guards' presence wasn't making my situation any more comfortable. Over and over, my mind spun. A knot in my chest slowly tightened, close to being twisted to the maximum. Johnathon's words earlier kept haunting my thoughts.

_"YOU ARE GRIMOIRE'S MISTAKE!!! YOU'RE A ACCIDENT!!! YOU HEAR ME!!!??? A ACCIDENT!!! YOU DESERVED EVERYTHING I'VE DONE TO YOU!!! YOUR NOT A PART OF THIS FAMILY!!! YOU'RE JUST HERE!!!"_

I've lived with both Johnathon and Veronica's insults for several years. Why should it be bothering me? Why does what he said earlier this morning bother me so much? Yesterday, I already found out the truth about Mother. I had more time to prepare for what he would scream at me when I returned, right? The words isn't hurt, right? It's quiet in here. No one exchanged any words. Lenny has even been quiet lately. It's been days he's talked to me. He's even stopped talking to me a couple days before body guards started riding with us. Wonder what's wrong.

Once the limo pulled to a stop, I knew it was time to get out. Luckily for me, it pulled in the back of the school as usual, where no body would notice. I guess Uncle had enough sense to make sure I didn't look suspicious. It's the only reason Johnathon didn't directly send a bodyguard to follow me around. It's already bad enough there are some already watching from a distant, but it would really ruin my repetition. I hate having body guards. It makes me feel weak and vulnerable.

As I stepped out, I could feel my body trying to refuse to move. I know it's practically suicide stepping in the school, but I don't have a choice. I would rather face the school's wrath than Johnathon's wrath any day. My trembling legs kept threatening to collapse on me as I approached the door. I didn't have to look over my shoulder to know the limo was taking off. I could hear its tires in motion. Thousand of thoughts plagued me at once. My emotions kept changing repeatably. Some many feelings hit me, it's hard for me to tell if I'm angry, confused, depressed, hatred, or a unique type of emotion. When I was near the doors, I gulped one last time. Before I could chance my mind, I forced myself to run inside the building. I didn't even have a chance to think about it.

The instant I was inside, I could feel probably a thousand glares beaming on me. My eye wandered around my surrounds. Everyone either glared at me, ignored me, then walked past me, or made fists at me. Within a minute, everyone was getting things out of their locker. One of the most painful events that happens daily is beginning. I glimpsed at a body guard standing outside the classroom. His arms were crossed on his chest, and had a frown formed on his face. He gazed at me with a ghostly stare. I'm not getting any help from him. It was Johnathon's strict orders to protect me ONLY if I was in a life or death situation or if it would cause me major damage.

By the time my gaze returned to everyone else, everyone had books, rulers, papers, erasers, trash (probably got it from a garage bin in the hall), and probably many other objects, but I didn't have much time to study them.

"GET HIM!!!" someone commanded. Before I could shield my face with my arm, objects were tossed at me. A variety of pain hit me as all the school supplies were thrown at me. Book corners stabbed me. A ruler or two slapped across my face a little as it impacted. Paper storms nearly kept me from seeing clearly. A rotten piece of fruit, either a apple or pear, exploded as it collided on my stomach, leaving a nasty mess on my blazer. I didn't stick around long enough to find out what else everyone wanted to throw at me today. Instead, I took off running, swiftly sliding my backpack off my back to use as a shield. Even as I ran, I could still feel objects jabbing me or blinding me. The boys bathroom is my only hope, but...it's never safe for long.

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Graffiti mildly covered the inside of the stall. Not a single thing could be heard in here except my pounding heart, and my nervous pants. The inside of the stall felt cold for some reason. I carefully lifted my legs off the tile floor, and embraced them. Bruner's going to get me if there's any sign of my presence. My foot already fell asleep, but I can't risk tapping it to wake it up.

Skipping my first two classes is going to be a death wish once Uncle finds out, but classes have become unbearable. People, mostly Bruner and his thugs, jump me when I take my seat in class or everyone in class uses the remaining moments to throw even more objects at me. During class, whispered insults happens without rest, a object is frown at me occasionally (mostly small things like erasers), classmates that sit behind me kick me chair, Bruner sometimes steals some stuff like my pencils, which I have to face a beating from Uncle for losing some many things in one day, and there's always at least one unique harmful action pulled on me everyday. If I didn't already know about everything we're learning in class because of classes that were forced on me, I would be failing everything everything because either my mind is too busy to be on alert for an attack during or after class to pay attention, the insults or curses makes it hard for me to hear, or thrown objects distracted me. Everyone hates me because a lot of their friends died in the school shooting. The teacher won't help me because they also hate me because someone they knew died during that tragic event or because my attendance caused a lot damage to the school. Yeah, everyone hates my guts.

I shifted my position slightly to seek comfort. A small chill plagued my body. I guess being alone does that do you. Every minute was a nightmare. I have to worry about a student finding me or a teacher looking for me. How I miss Joey!

_"Hey, Vince!" Joey greeted as he dashed towards me across the front school yard. At the corner of my eye, I could see his blue backpack bouncing around as his fingers remained wrapped around the straps._

_Although I was partly watching him, my eyes stayed glued in the book. I was leaning against the school outside wall of the school. My feet were stretched far ahead, letting the wall hold up most of my weight._

_At first, he just stood at my left side, patiently waiting for me to notice him. He must of grew impatient after a while because he waved his hand in front of my face. "Hellllooo! I said hi!"_

_I lowered my book so I could focus my gaze on him. "Sorry, I was distracted. How's things going?"_

_"So nooow you notice," Joey teased sarcastically._

_"Sorry, is there anything you need help with."_

_"Hmm..." Joey rested the side of his index finger on his chin with a psyched out look, expressing that he was deep in thought. "I don't think so." Joey playfully and gently swung his backpack. The entrance must of not been tightly zipped because all his stuff came flying out. Joey simply sighed at the sight. "Not again!" He bent over, and started gathering his school supplies. _

_Being the caring friend I was, I joined in with collecting his stuff. Papers nearly got swept away from the wind, but I managed to secure them before it was too late. The hardest possession of Joey's to find was his pencils because a few of them rolled away somewhere. Before we knew it, he were on our hands and knees, crawling around in search of the writing tools._

_"Found them yet?" Joey checked as he was looking in the grass area._

_"Nope, not yet," I reported._

_After finally finding them behind a trash can, we were finally halfway done with collecting everything. I stood on my knees to take a short break. I glance at Joey, who was still picking up everything. "Why did you have to put so much in one backpack?" I complained. "You couldn't of had that much homework."_

_"Just help me with this!" Joey ordered._

_"Okay, fine, fine." I went pack to crawling around, and placing the stuff back in his bag._

_Finally, we were to the last object, a folder. Without realizing it, Joey and I both crawled toward it and reached for it nearly at the same exact time. Our eyes met once we realized what just happened._

_"Hey look! Freaky and Geeky are making out!" Bruner announced from afar._

_Within seconds, everyone burst into laughter even though they know it's not true. My face burned. A queasy feeling filled my stomach. I glanced at Joey to see how he was handling it. He just rolled his eyes, grabbed his folder, and stood up. To recover some of my dignity, I swiftly jumped to my feet._

_"Don't let him get to you," Joey warned. "He's just a pathetic creep seeking attention. He'll do anything to get some people to look at him, even if it means shooting other people down."_

_I nodded, but my face still continued to burn. "I know I shouldn't but..."_

_"Vince! You can't let the world keep you down. If you want to do something or be a certain way, just do it! This is only high school! It won't kill you to be yourself because no one's better than you, and won't be any different once high school's over! Got it?"_

_I didn't say a word for a while, but knew I would have to say something anyway._

_"Got it?" Joey repeated._

_"...yes."_

_"Good, I've got the perfect prank for him today."_

_I couldn't help but to smile at the idea._

Footsteps snapped me out of my thoughts. At first, I was confused about what was happening. I soon remembered where I was and embraced my knees more tightly. I closed my mouth as tight as I could to prevent gasping. My breaths are even being held in. That's how scared I was. Voices echoed through the empty bathroom. When I realized who it was, I instantly started to tremble. Before I could react much, my door was kicked open. It impacted the door so roughly that Bruner had to catch it when it bounced back. I gulped, and felt a freezing chill down my spine. Bruner and his thugs must of used a hall pass to be able to go to the restroom I'm a goner.

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Great relief swept through me as I scampered outside the school. Even though my entire body ached from facing many gang ups, being slammed into lockers, being hit from thrown objects, and etc, I managed to keep running. The scary thing is that I'm actually happy to see the limo. Luckily, nobody goes in the back school yard. I'm safe for now. I stepped in, and slammed the door shut as quickly as possible. Once the vehicle went in motion, my emotions soothed.

The only time of the day I can relax beside when it's time to sleep is riding to school or on the way back from school. Home gives me great dread whenever I enter through the front door. Ever since Johnathon found out about me lying about the clubs, he's forced some after school classes on me until 3:00 at night! If I wasn't so used to getting up early and going to bed late, I would be too exhausted to handle school. My curfew is really going to make my plan complicating but I got to take my chances.

All I have to do is somehow sneak out of the mansion, "borrow" one of Veronica's credit cards, and head to the hospital. I'm probably going to pay dearly for this, but it's better than doing nothing. First, I need to find a escape.

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"You're telling me that you have to go back to school to talk to one of your teachers about a assignment?"

"Yep"

"And why should I believe you?"

"Do you want my grades to plummet?"

Johnathon continued to glare at me with his arms crossed on his chest. "Fine, but hurry it up!"

Wait a minute! Did he say what I think he said!? "W-what did you say?"

"I said hurry it up before you wear down my good mood."

"Why are you in such a good mood?"

"You'll see."

I didn't bother to wonder. I better take the chance now. "Okay, just let me get my stuff."

Since we're already standing in front of the grand stairs, I have more time. I dashed up the stairs, and headed to my room. As I ran, I rubbed my right pocket to make sure Veronica's credit card that I managed to snatch out of her purse was still with me. I could feel the hard plastic surface, meaning it's still secured. I yanked my room door open, and grabbed my backpack off my bed. I headed down the stairs, and towards the doors. I grabbed the knob and twisted it slowly as if I was preparing for something to jump out at me. Of course I'm nervous! I could feel Johnathon's eyes beaming on me. It feels like a tiny laser ray was slowly burning me. Right when I stepped outside with my backpack on my back, I could hear Johnathon's footsteps behind me, meaning he was coming closer. I paused outside the doorway to wait on him. I knew better than to do anything that could get him in any type of bad mood.

Johnathon's warm breath made my neck feel like it was burning. I could feel my blood run cold and the hairs on my neck stick up. My heart's pumping became more rapid.

That's when Johnathon started whispering things in my ear. "Lucky for you, I'm in a better mood, and I have more things to worry about then you. I'm a gentle man, so I mind as well give you a hint. Your so called social worker won't be coming back anytime soon. If you don't want anything bad to happen to her, I suggest you stay away from her. I got some dirt on her that can put her in jail if I play my cards right."

Before I could ask or even feel any concern, I heard the door shut right behind me. My feet seemed frozen. A queasy feeling filled my stomach. Nearly all the blood in my body seemed to turn even colder.

_What did he do to her while I went to school? No...Luesa is too smart and strong. Nothing bad can happen to her. Besides, there's not crime to put her in jail for._

I remembered my secret appointment, so I forced myself to run toward the limo.

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"Vince Valor!" The nurse called.

I took my gaze out of the magazine, and placed it back on the table next to me. I climbed to my feet and trooped in the nurse's direction. Sneaking to the hospital was nearly too easy. Neither Lenny or the body guards asked for an explanation. That's one thing I like about having body guards. When it comes to taking some requests from me, the bodyguards are kind to me compared to Johnathon or Veronica.

The nurse kept her eyes on her clipboard, and opened the door at the same time. She seemed to be in her early thirties, but she was still good looking. Her brown hair went halfway down her neck, and wavy. Her eyes were green and plain. I don't have much to say about her outfit except it was a pink nurse uniform with a vest. I stepped inside room, and saw the doctor. There isn't much to say about the doctor either. Basically, he's probably in his early forties, has long brown hair in a pony tail, and is wearing glasses, a white doctor coat (looks like a lab coat maybe, and brown khakis pants.

Some posters on the wall made me pull to a stop. I couldn't help but to roll my eyes at them. It was just mostly posters that showed maps off part of the body or some kid stuff. I don't seem much of a point in posters in the doctor's office.

"You ready to begin?" the doctor ask.

"Huh?" His question caught me off guard. I glanced at him ahead of me. His eyes seemed friendly, so I couldn't help wanting to be polite. "Yeah, sorry. I...just was...looking around."

The doctor chuckled, and took a few steps toward me. "I'm Dr. Rubern," he introduced as he stuck out his hand. "You will be under my professional care."

I stared at the hand with a painful feeling in my heart. It pained me so much because hardly anyone has showed me kindness since the big school shooting. Only Luesa showed me much affection. Lenny's been quiet for some reason. I know he's not mad at me or anything but...it still kind of hurts. If Uncle didn't threaten to sue all the reporters, my name would of been mentioned in the news, and everyone in the city would of known the school shooting is all my fault. This doctor probably wouldn't want to be around me if he knew.

"Young man, are you alright? You seem all dazed out."

His statement immediately made me snap out of my thoughts. "Yeah, sorry." I grabbed his hand, and gently shook it. I got both a pleasant and uncomfortable feeling as I shook it. It felt uncomfortable because I'm so used to being touched by a adult mostly when I'm hit. Small relief came when we released each other's hands.

"Are you sure your parents approve of this?" Dr. Rubern checked.

"Yep, is it going to hurt?"

"Well...not really. You may just feel a little discomfort , but there really isn't pain. It's only been used a few times in this hospital so far, but there hasn't been any complaints of pain. A couple of the patients complained about a 'scratchy feeling,' though. It's nothing too bad. Before we began, do you have anyone to pick you up a while after the treatment?"

Good thing I already told Lenny to come back in a half hour. "Yeah, a...friend will pick me up in a half and hour. Maybe forty minutes. How long does the surgery take?"

"Normally, fifteen to forty seconds. You have to stay here after the surgery for thirty minutes, though. Do you want to know about the side effects."

"No, I'm good. I'm sure it's nothing I can't handle."

"You sure?"

"Uh-huh."

"Okay, right this way."

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My hand shook as I stuffed Veronica's credit card back in her purse. I hope she hasn't noticed it missing yet. After I managed to slip it into her wallet inside the purse, I placed the purse back on the table, then started rushing out of the room. My heart pounded from both fear and putting so much effort into my running. Luckily, the hall lights are off, so it's easier for me to stay unnoticed. It's a death wish for me to be running out of Veronica's bedroom. I bet she found out by now. Luckily, my room is only at the end of the hall to the right from Veronica's room. Suddenly, I collided with something, causing me to fly backwards. My glasses even fell off in the process. Within a minute, the lights were turned on. My eyes immediately burned when the light reached them, causing my arm to shield them on instinct. Stupid surgery. My stomach dropped when I felt a hand grab my arm, then pulled me up.

"Idiot, ya blind?" I know that voice. Johnathon. A knot formed on my stomach at this though. Now he'll probably know! I couldn't see to clearly because vision is still blurred. Luckily, Johnathon grabbed my glasses off the floor, and placed them on my face. "Just feel lucky I'm in a good mood. What are you doing here?"

I gulped, but did my best to hide any sign of fear. "I...got to ask Veronica something."

Johnathon rolled his eyes at me. "And what do you gotta ask her."

"I...uhh...what was it?" I pretended I forgot what I was going to ask to buy some time.

"Spit it out!" Johnathon commanded with a bit of venom in his voice.

"What happened to Luesa?" Great...I blurted something stupid out without much thought.

Johnathon smirked at what I said! It's been ages since I've seen him smirk at me! It can't be good. Usually when he smirks at me, he has "ideas." This caused a chill to go down my spine.

"Don't waste your energy on her. Stay away from her. You hear me? She's...trouble."

I don't like what he was saying, but I don't want to stick around to bother him about it. He must want me to stay away from her because he's worried I'll spill the beans. I gave him a quick nod before heading straight for my room.

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I kept gazing at my ceiling above me as I lied on my bed, lost in thought.

_This isn't right. Johnathon hasn't given me any classes after school today. What's up with that? Ugh! Never mind, I better focus on my first impression on the band. I got to do something super awesome or at least awesome enough to get on the band good side. How about I bring something? Well, I mind as well take advantage of not having any classes by trying to get some extra sleep._

Luckily, I already was in my pajamas, so all I have to do is close my eyes.

When I just closed my eyes, I heard someone. "I see that you have some extra time on your hands." My eyes shoot open at the voice. I glanced at my door to find Andrew standing there with his usual sly smile. That bastard started treading towards me the moment my eyes beamed at him. "Up for more fun for a coupe hours."

I gulped when he pulled off the white blanket I had wrapped around me. He then started to slowly slip my pajama shirt off. I felt some many emotions at once: anger, fear, disgust, and some other emotions I can't put my finger on. It's like a emotional train wreck. Believe when I say that I'll never get used to it, especially since I don't want to go through with it.

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Today is the day for me to meet the band at the warehouse. My plan is well wrapped up. I got pretty lucky today. Johnathon and Veronica had to attend some business meeting with Father. For an unknown reason, Johnathon decided to not send bodyguards with me. Now all I have to do is convince Lenny to take me to the warehouse, and help me skip school. First, prize I need. I grabbed it out of the fridge, and carefully shieled it with a towel. He has a lot already. He won't miss it. I better hurry.

I scurried out the door, careful to both keep any of the servants from noticing me or from dropping my gift. My eyes swiftly darted around in many directions as I dashed towards the door, watching out from unwanted witnesses. Finally, I got to wooden double doors and pulled both of them quiet, careful not to to make them creak. Slowly, I closed the doors behind me. To prevent looking suspious to Lenny, I plainly walked to the limo. I gently pulled the back door open, then climbed in. I carefully placed what I "borrowed" from Johnathon, and climbed toward the small window between Lenny.

I took a deep breath, then asked Lenny, "Uhhh...Lenny...I need to ask you for a favor. I...I'm meeting someone, but it's during school and..."

"Tell me where I have to drop you off," Lenny interjected without looking at me.

"I know I...what!?" I finally realized what Lenny just said. "Did you say what I think you said!?"

"Yeah, where?"

I stood there with my knees on the seat in front of the window, dumbfounded. This seemed too easy...to good to be true. "Thanks, Lenny. At least I have one friend left."

For a brief moment, Lenny didn't say anything. He never glanced back at me either. "What are friends for?"

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I literally leapt out the limo, not forgetting about my gift. I dashed toward the warehouse like a eager child does toward a toy store. I now can take my first step in finding Mother. Suddenly a thought came to me. Something Luesa told me a long time ago.

_First impression really makes a difference in a relationship._

To keep my dignity, I slowed down, and headed towards the already opened steel doors. I halfway stepped into the door. Cautiously, I viewed my surroundings. There's nothing threatening. It's only Skull Basher, the violet haired girl, and the buff guy. Man, I wish I had their names. Skull Basher was sitting on a small wooden crate, fiddling with his bass's strings. The violet haired female was filing her dark purple nails (I think she colored them since we last met). The buff guy was only leaned against the wall, staring at nothing I suppose. I took another step, putting me completely inside.

Skull Basher immediately noticed and started strided towards me. "Hey Kid, glad to see ya. Hey, I thought you were getting the surgery?"

I remember my glasses, then removed them. It's the first time I removed this week. It's hard to explain my emotions about being without them. I felt all kind of things. A bit of freedom was one. I have to admit I feel naked without them. It's sort of like removing apart of myself.

Skull Basher scanned me, with a finger on his chin, expressing curiosity or he's in deep thought. "Niiiccce, you look much better without them."

Sounds of more footsteps caused me to take my eyes off of Skull Basher. I saw both the violet haired female and the big guy approaching me. Both of them looked at me wide eyed. I honestly don't know how to react to their expressions. I hope whatever their shocked about is good.

The violet haired female went over to me, and wrapped her arm around my neck gently. "Meeoow!" Her voice sounded like...she's flirting. "Where have you been all my life?" Her black lip sticked lips curved up into a mix of a hot and a cute smirk.

I felt my face burn. My heart nearly pounded heavier. A queasy feeling filled my stomach. I NEVER been in this type of situation. Pathetic, huh? I'm nearly sixteen, and I have never dated or even been very close to a girl like this before.

"Knock it off," Skull Basher ordered while he softly tugged on her free arm. "Save flirting for after practice. At least give the guy a chance to adjust to the band. He doesn't know you well enough."

"Sorry, he's just so...sexy!" I couldn't tell if she was serious or joking because she spoke in a bit of a weird tone. She must be kidding. I'm...not...handsome.

Skull Basher sighed, and rubbed his forehead with two fingers at the same time.

"Hey, ain't I suppose'ta took to the boss?"

"It'll be a while before he gets here," Skull Basher answered. "I got caught up with a conflict. It's just you and us for a few hours."

"Oh..." I didn't have anything else to say. Ashamed of this, I looked down to my feet.

"Before I forget, how about a introduction. You already know me name."

The violet haired female finally introduced herself. "The name's Viper. And doun'cha forget it!"

Now it leaves the buff guy. "I'm Tricky."

At first, I thought I heard wrong. "Uhh, you're tricky? You're saying you're name is hard to pronounce or something?"

"No, I mean my name is Tricky."

"Why's your name..."

"Trust me, you don't wanna know," Skull Basher cutted me off. "Our name of the band is the Lasting Pain. All our band names are based off of either something we did wrong, or a rebellious trait we have. Viper has her nickname because sometimes her mouth can scare off punks before she has to break out her fist. I have my nickname from...well...let's just say the guy had it coming for mouthing off to me. Now you need a nickname yourself. Is there something you did that really got you in trouble or is there a trait that either a authority figure or a classmate or something hates you for?"

I thought about it for a minute. All my life every single action I do it wrong. No matter what I did I could never not get in trouble. For the first time in ages, what Uncle said to me a long time ago came up.

_"You are a sin. Everything you do is a sin. Even your birth is a sin."_

This gave me an idea. "I think my nickname should be...Sin."

At first Skull Basher stared at me for few seconds. "Uhh...Sin?"

I hesitated because I wasn't sure if he thought it was stupid or not. "Yeah...Sin."

"Why?"

"My uncle hates me for everything. He says I'm a sin. I mind as well make him mad by making what I am I gift." My stomach got worse from being nervous. I hope the name isn't stupid.

Instead of frowning like I expected, Skull Basher smirked. "Love it! It's simple yet sweet. Welcome to the band...Sin." He put out his hand for me to shake.

I felt my lips form into a smile. It felt nice. I took his hand with my free hand, and shook it. "Thanks."

After we released each other, Skull Basher spotted my gift. "What's that?"

I nearly chucked at this, but I contained myself to keep from getting on his bad side. After all, I need them to help find Mother. "What?" My smile got bigger as I removed the blanket. "Havent'cha seen a case of beer before." The entire group's eyes widened. I guess they underestimated me. "Here." I grabbed one can, then put it out in front of Skull Basher.

Skull Basher took the beer slowly, then opened the can. "Wh-where did you get this? You couldn't of just walked into the liquor store."

This made me have a warm feeling of pleasure. I felt some dominate at the moment. "Let's just say I got it form a guy."

I quickly handed the others a can. It wasn't long before everyone was drinking the alcoholic beverage. Once everyone except me had a can, I let Skull Basher hold on to the case.

Suddenly to my surprise, Skull Basher handed me a can. "Here, take one."

My heart dropped right when I said that. I didn't expect him to offer me one. "W-what?" I hoped I heard wrong.

"C'mon, you got the goods. It's only fair you get a cut of the deal."

"B-but..."

"It's okay, one can won't hurt. It's not a cigarette so damage is minimal. You need to learn to live."

I felt a type of lump from in my throat. I guess my heart was trying to keep me from excepting the drink. "I-I can't..."

"It's an easy escape from your troubles. It's like pop. It can calm someone's nerves."

_C'mon, Vincent. Don't look like a wimp. _Once again, the voice in my head tries to get me to do something wrong.

My hearts pounded ever more swiftly when my hand slowly reached out for the drink. It felt like something was controlling yet I wanted it at the same time. Nearly at a snail's speed, I opened the can, then started slowly putting it against my mouth. I know what I'm doing is wrong, but I'm willing to escape me troubles. It even felt a little like getting back at Father somehow. I guess one can can't hurt. Liquid nearly unexpectedly poured into my mouth. The taste was so vile, no words could describe it. Even the Allen's "holiday juice" I hard during New Years was better than this. I badly desired to spit it out, but something in the back of my head told me to swallow. I listened to whatever was in the back of my head, and let the gross beverage go down my throat. At first, I regretted swallowing something so gross. Strangely, it wasn't long before I had time to think about it. I actually...liked it. My nerves felted soothed somehow also. Nearly acting on its own, my hand kept pouring more beer down my mouth. Then more. Then more. I kept doing it until I felt a little dizzy. The roomed seemed to spin. Even though I knew it was wrong and unhealthy, I felt happy. Amazing. Could do anything. Nothing seemed to matter at the moment except being more happy.

"See, I knew you'd like it." Skull Basher sipped more of his beer. "After we're finished, we need to practice. We already have a electric guitar in the back."

Now I can earn money to find hire a private investigator. Then I can know who my mother is. But for now, I need to relax. Maybe I should get drunk more often.

**I know this chapter was rushed, but I tried to leave out anything unimportant so I can get it done. It's been killing me. Good news! This is the last boring chapter in the entire fanfic. YEEAAAH! (does a back flip) I've been dying to get to the next part of the fanfic since I first created it. I promise the next chapter will be better.**

**Why Lenny acts the way he does in this chapter will be explained later. The chapter was a huge pain to write. After this chapter, I'm going to get more strict over reviews. I was going to wait until its sequel to get strict, but want to start sooner since things will pick up soon. I'll try to update whenever I get the chance. Remember, reviews help me update faster. I promise it won't take as long to update because the next chapter is suppose to be fun to write out.**


	25. Sinful Pleasure

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the songs used in this fanfic. **

**I'm deeply sorry for taking so long! This past week was hectic for me! I haven't even had the time to be on this site too much. Please forgive me. I know I should of tried harder.**

**I don't know how you're going to enjoy this chapter because it wasn't as entertaining to write as I thought. I'm extremely sorry for the delay. Lately I've been under some stress so it's been difficult to update.**

**That's all I have to say for now.**

I tiptoed down the grand stairs, careful not to make any of the carpeted stairs creak. Through the windows, I could that the moon and stars were already out. Unfortunately for me, nearly all the lights were on in the mansion. At least there wasn't anyone in sight. Step by step, my heart pumped more swiftly. I gulped when I was on the last three steps, the creakiest steps in the whole staircase. I took my chances on stepping on the next one. My weight caused it to moan. My stomach immediately dropped at the squeaky noise. My eyes darted around to check for anyone. No sigh of either the servants, Veronica, Johnathon, or Andrew. Since I didn't want to take anymore chances of getting caught, I pushed on both railings to lift myself up, then I bent my legs so I wouldn't hit the steps. I swung back and forth to prepare to leap. On the fourth swing, I pushed the railing with all my strength to hop over the last two steps. I wasn't too high up, so my landing wasn't too noisy on the marble floor. As I slowly treaded towards the front door, I kept glancing in various directions rapidly to make sure no one sees me. If the mansion wasn't so big and if most of the servants didn't often travel around in the back of the mansion, I would of snuck out through the back door like most normal teenagers.

So far so good. This nearly felt too easy. My arm stretched out towards the knob. Sluggishly and cautiously, I twisted the knob. As soon as the door clicked, I quietly yanked the door open a little at light speed. I stepped out, and quietly closed the door behind me. As planned, I could see the limo parked near the front gate. This brought a smile on my face.

_And Johnathon thinks he's so smart. I'm practically sneaking out under his nose._

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"Thanks, Len. I owe you BIG time!" I speedily stepped out of the vehicle, then glanced back at Lenny with my hand still on the door.

"Good luck," Lenny said while taking a swift look back at me. He sure has changed the last three weeks since I joined the band. I never knew how supportive Lenny could truly be until now.

I smirked at his two words. "Thanks." I slammed the door shut, and treaded toward the back door. As expected, I could see a muscular bald man guarding the door with his arms crossed on his chest. As I approached him, he only kept giving me a blank stare.

Once I was in front of him, he signaled me to stop by raising his hand like a crossing guard. "Pass?"

I dug in my pocket for the pass. It didn't stuff much in my pocket so it took less than a minute to find. Once I found it, I flashed it in the front of the guard.

All he did was simply give me a quick nod to show his approval. "Go ahead." He sidestepped a few steps to his left, and away from the door.

"Thank you." I twisted the knob, and rushed in. I released the door behind me to let it shut on it's own.

Right when I took time to take in what's around me, I could feel several eyes beam at me. The room was completely packed with teenagers and young adults in a band. It was so packed, I could barely keep track of what everyone was doing. Most people were spread out in groups, and talking. A lot of them even glanced back at me from time to time. Surprisingly, the room wasn't too noisy. It mostly just had whispers. I took a deep breath before making my way through the sea of people.

"Excuse me. Pardon me. Sorry. Excuse me. Pardon me. Opps, sorry again." I kept saying all this nearly in a pattern as I tried to get pass a everyone. Finally, I spotted my band mates talking in a corner to the right. I eagerly squeezed through a couple people, forgetting to say excuse me. I sprinted toward them with my heart leaping in random directions. I've been waiting for this night for so long. By the time I caught up with them, I was huffing either from being excited or from putting too much effort into my running. "S-sorry...I'm la...late." My sentence was broken up from my huffing.

Viper was the first to twirl to face me. Her hands were on her hips. A frown was already made on her lips. "Kid, there's some...hey, why are you wearing glasses?" She asked while scratching her head with one finger. "I thought you got the surgery."

It took a few moments for me to register what she said. "Wh...oh!" Remembering my glasses, I snatched the glassed off my face. Carefully, I stuffed them in my pocket. "It's a long story."

To be honest, it wasn't really a long story. I basically been wearing them when I'm at school or home because I didn't want anyone to get suspicious. I only said it was a long story to make up a excuse from actually having to tell them the truth. I'm still trying to earn a good reputation.

Viper continued to scowl at me. "Bad news...we've been talking and...decided that we...you shouldn't play with us for tonight."

Reality didn't sink in at first. My shock state kept it from happening. I can't believe what I was hearing! "W-what!?" I didn't want to make a fool of myself in front of everyone by yelling, so I did my best to keep my voice down. "Whudoya mean I can't play tonight!? This...this can't be right! I've been praticin' with you guys for nearly three weeks already! I..."

My sentence got cut off when Skull Basher walked over to me with a bit of a disapproved look. To further express his cool temper, he had his arms crossed on his chest. "We're sorry. This contest is REALLY tough, especially for newbies. You're catching on guitar playing really fast, and you play quite well. But we can't risk the Battle of the Bands contest this year no matter what. It's just...you don't seem as experienced as some people here. It's just for tonight. Maybe you can be apart of the contest next year. For now, we're getting an old friend to play, but you can come with us to the party that's after the contest. It's just...we want to be sure our newbie has more time to freshen up on his skills before he plays in a actual major contest. It's the biggest one of the year!"

Newbie. I hate being called that. Even though I wanted to further argue, I knew better. What he said made so much sense that it made me feel like a fool arguing. Admitting defeat, I let out a rough sigh. "...fine. I...wish you told my sooner, though."

To avoid showing a disappointed gaze, I let my eyes all to the ground. I've been lucky Johnathon hasn't been giving me any after school classes, and it's been too easy to sneak out for band practice. All that work felt like a waste, though. My heart felt as if it was being lightly stabbed from needles over and over. It's not the worst feeling I ever had, but it still was a big burden. My heart felt a little crushed from all the wasted practice I done.

"C'mon, kid, I don't wanna replace ya either," Skull Basher started to reason with me, "especially since the replacement will probably cause me to pull all my hair out of my skull! He drives me crazy!"

"Talking about me again, old friend?" A smooth voice with a fancy accent said. Before I had much of a chance to wonder who said that, a older male teenager, probably seventeen to eighteen years old, trooped towards us slowly. He had fiery red hair that didn't really have any length. His bangs went clear down to his eyes a little. His eyes were brown, and weren't too big or small. Both his ears were pierced some many times that I couldn't count them all at once. His shirt was black with a very detailed red Wutain dragon with a very hostile look in its eyes. As for his pants, they were black jeans with many pockets and a couple chains on it. His face was so well shaped that even I have to admit he looks handsome. Call me gay for that and I'll punch your lights out! I'm serious.

As he approached us, Skull Basher gave him a very spiteful glare. I could actually see his teeth slightly grinding. Tricky didn't show much a reaction. All he did was gaze at the stranger unemotionally. Viper's eyes quickly lit up before she went running towards him. Her arms quickly wrapped around him in a embrace. The guy returned the embrace with a small smirk.

"It's been awhile," Viper said in a tone so low it nearly was a whisper. She released him. Since he was a little taller, she had to look up at him for their eyes to connect. "And you really convinced us that you weren't ever coming back."

"Sorry to worry ya," The redhead replied. "Even I thought I was leaving for good."

Skull Basher snorted, then looked away in dismay. "Too bad you were wrong. So what happened to your band."

The redhead frowned at Skull Basher. "We...broke up. Two of 'em went to college. They were mostly apart of band to get money for college in the first place. The remaining one walked out of the band without telling me why. I guess he just wanted to lead another life. A guy should know when to let someone go."

Skull Basher's expression didn't change. "So you came crawling back to us?"

The redheaded stranger still kept a straight face, despite being insulted. "Whatever floats your boat, call it what you want. I'm not in the mood to argue with you right now."

"Because you can't think of a comeback?"

"No, because making you look bad in front of everyone here might embarrass me for ever working with you, and the rest of the band. They shouldn't have to suffer, too. Basically, I can come up with good insults, but just choose not to use them."

Skull Basher nearly launched himself towards the guy who bad mouthed him, but Tricky raised his arm in front of him to stop him. "Just let it go," Tricky commanded with a emotionless tone.

This is the first time I ever saw Viper make googly eyes at any guy...except maybe when she pretended to be interested in me the first time I had my glasses off. She was only pretending, right?

Finally, the stranger glanced in my direction. "Who's the kid?"

I could tell by Viper's slight jerk of her head and when her eyes went wide for a few split seconds that she forgot about me for a while. Viper tread towards me, then pointed at me as if she had to show me for I was standing. "This is Vince, but you should call him Sin, his band name. Sin, this is Flame. He got his name cause of his hair and because he sees beauty in flames. He used to be our other guitarist and..."

"Other?" Flame interrupted.

"This is the new guitarist I told you about," Viper told Flame. "I hope you get along with him. He shouldn't be much trouble."

"I hope so, too."

Footsteps interrupted the conversation. The entire group's heads turned in to my right. I turned my head at whatever they were staring at. What a sight! There were three guys and two females, probably at least three years older than me. The goths nearly looked like clones. All of them had jet colored hair with barely any length at all. Their cloths nearly all black, and either had skulls, black make up around their eyes, chains, piercings, or anything Gothic. I could feel my own eyes widen at the sight.

"Look what we have here, it's the emo squad," Skull Basher teased.

"Humorous," the guy in the middle sarcastically and unemotionally replied. "Since when did you start babysitting private snobs."

It took a few seconds for me to realize he was talking about me. I know coming with a private school uniform was a bad idea. I figured since I was going to change into new cloths once I got here, it wouldn't matter what I wore on the way here.

"Is that all you can come up with?" Flame challenged.

"No, I just haven't used it yet."

"So use it then," Viper snapped back.

The leaders eyes focused on me as if my band's weakness was written on me. "What does this look like? A simple band group at school? Go home if you know what's best for you. This isn't for runts."

Right when "runt" hit me, anger aroused in me. A knot twisted in my chest. The room's temperature seemed to heat up. It's already bad enough Johnathon calls me that. The last thing I need is someone else calling me that. "Picking on a younger band member...that's a low blow. You go for me, but not for my other band mates all because I'm the youngest? Sad, really sad."

The leader's eyes narrowed at my insult. "Wanna fight?"

"Take two steps. I dare ya!" A sly smile formed through my lips. I guess "having fun" with Andrew made me develop it.

Right when the leader took a few quickly steps, one of the female members snatched him by the arm and started to drag him away. "Save it for after the contest," she commanded while dragging him away.

One last glare was thrown at me before they disappeared in the crowd. I looked back at the other band members to see their reactions. Their eyes were widened! Tricky's mouth even dropped!

"Kid!? You crazy!?" Skull Basher questioned as if I ran through busy traffic. "You could of gotten yaself killed!"

"What? Don't you guys deal with that everyday?" I asked in a low tone. My stomach dropped a little. I had no clue that they'd take what I did seriously.

"It doesn't matter," Viper stated. "That guy is way older than you! And he doesn't take insults like that without a fight! Do you realize what he could of done to you!?"

I tried to pretend it wasn't a big deal by forcing a frown, and making my eyes more narrow to shield the shock look in my eyes. "I could take him on. I know how to fight and...had some experience with taking a hit. I'm not in school. I can't really get in trouble that easily. The worst thing that can happen is for me to get charged for battery, but that would only ruin his reputation for being so weak."

"I must admit..." Flame took a few steps toward me, then stared into my eyes. "You have guts, kid. You just earned yourself twenty rep points from me."

"Who was that guy?"

"That was Shadow, leader of our rival band, Empty Redemption."

"Oh..."

"He and his band really hates us, and we hate them."

"There you guys are." Our boss, Mr. Aron, strided towards us with a small stack of paper in one hand. "Let's go over the plan before we go on. We'll be one of the last ones to perform, so let's take advantage of that by rehearsing. "Sin, sorry that you can't be apart of the show. We would like you to be at the party for whoever wins after the concert. Interested?"

I gave him a nod. "Sure."

"Also we would like you to change cloths in the dressing room. We need you to blend in with the crowd."

Without another word, my other band mates followed Mr. Aron down the hall. I decided to follow them to find the dressing room.

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Even inside the dressing room, I could hear my boss yapping. I sighed to myself at how easily I can hear him as I grabbed the cloths laid out for me off a chair. I got to admit that I mentally drooled over all the garments when I first saw them. I felt a little of a draft on my body, making it shiver a little. Being in a cold room with only boxers isn't comfortable. I first slipped on the silver tank top. Grabbing it by the slightly pointed collar, I lifted the black leather vest up. The torn off sleeves gave the vest a more hardcore effect. I slipped into that, then grabbed the jet black leather pants that came with it. It was nearly only plain pants except it had a couple pairs, then slipped into them also. I grabbed the fingerless leather gloves off the table then pulled them over my hands. I kicked off my shoes across the room then put on the black boots that went well with the outfit.

I snatched the paper with the lyrics I came up with off the table. I looked them over once more.

_It's a shame I can't be in the band to play it._

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As I trooped backstage back and forth, I could still hear another band finishing up their song. My band was up next. My heart leapt in various places. Perhaps I felt unsure of my own lyrics? Finally, I saw Viper running towards me. She slid to a stop in front of me, huffing. At first, she just looked down on the floor as she caught her breath. When she looked up at me, I immediately knew something was wrong. Her eyes were fearful for the first time. It all shocked me. Normally she's a girl everyone should always fear if they know what's good for them, but this time she nearly looked like a damsel in distress.

"Someone...knocked..." Her sentence kept getting broken up with her breathing in between. "...out Skull Basher...we can't...go on."

Both my heart and stomach dropped at the same time. It felt like this was a bad dream.

"W-what!?"

"I'm afraid it's true, kid." Flame approached me with a frown on his face. "We don't know for sure who did it. Without a singer, we can't go on."

"Who do you think did it?"

"We have no proof, but our rival band probably tried to eliminate some competition," Flame sighed the went on. "A few other bands just got eliminated because of their instruments being trashed."

"Of all times to get knocked out..." Mr. Aron rubbed his forehead as he headed toward us with Tricky close behind. "We're gonna have to drop out."

My world felt as if someone came in and trashed all my hope and fantasies. "D-drop out!? B-but you can't! What about all the times we practiced? Can't we just get someone else to fill in?"

"I can play the bass and keyboard, but I can't sing," Viper admitted. "And Tricky sings worse than me! No offense." She turned her head towards Tricky on the last part of the sentence.

"None taken," Tricky replied with a content tone.

"Besides, we need him to pay the drums."

"Don't look at me!" Flame warned. "I'm only a okay singer. I have to admit Skull Basher sings a little better than me. I don't even know the lyrics anyway. I just know how to play the song with my guitar."

"Say...Sin, you said you had photographic memory once, didn'cha?" Mr. Aron questioned.

"Yes." I don't think I like where this is going...

"You memorize the lyrics, right?"

"Yeah, but..."

"Then get out there!" Mr. Aron pushed me out before I could object or even react.

My heart leapt to my throat as I was forced out. I swiftly glanced over me shoulder back at him. "But, Sir, I can't..." The feeling of eyes watching interrupted my sentence. I would see everyone staring at me. I gulped as I finished my sentence for an unknown reason. "...sing."

Tricky, Viper, and Flame already got in their positions. The sight of the crowd made me feel like I was going to faint. I would feel my body burn. My legs felt like jello. My heart nearly bursted out of my chest from pumping so swiftly. People slowly whispered toward each other, probably at my nervous appearance.

"Kid, don't stand there like a retard!" Viper harshly whisper toward me with her bass in her hands. "Pick up the mic off the floor and use it!"

I gulped down the lump in my throat. My feet nearly acted on instinct as I got closer to the front of the stage. It felt like my feet were tied to bricks. Once I was in the front, all my stage fright sense grew worse. With my eyes still glued on the audience, I reached for the microphone off the floor. It was the wireless kind, so I probably won't have much trouble with it.

"Uh...I'm sorry to say...Skull Basher can't be here tonight because...he...uh..." People, mostly the boys, glared at me. All the females mostly just gave me some confused looks. I gulped down another lump down my throat. "I'm filling in for...him."

Angered whispers sounded out in the room. I guess there are many disappointed fans.

_Remember it's for the band, Vincent. _I hope this thought is enough for me to have the guts.

I took on deep breath to finally start out. My body went numb enough for me to be able to sing

I started out in a lower tone to try to add more effect to the song.

_Pain without love_

_Pain, I can't get enough  
Pain, I like it rough  
'Cause I'd rather feel pain than nothing at all_

The rest of the band played out the music while I waited for part I'm suppose to start singing again. The crowd focused their gaze on me some more. They seemed...to be interested! So far so good. The audience seems content. Finally, it was time for me to start singing in a normal tone.

_You're sick of feeling numb  
You're not the only one  
I'll take you by the hand  
And I'll show you a world that you can understand  
This life is filled with hurt  
When happiness doesn't work  
Trust me and take my hand  
When the lights go out you will understand_

_Pain, without love  
Pain, I can't get enough  
Pain, I like it rough  
'Cause I'd rather feel pain than nothing at all  
Pain, without love  
Pain, I can't get enough  
Pain, I like it rough  
'Cause I'd rather feel pain than nothing at all_

Now I could see the crowd cheering loudly! At first it startled me. Good thing I recover quickly. I could feel my face blush a little, and a pleasant warm feeling formed in my chest. I must be going something right, but what...CRUD!!! Nearly missed my part.

_Anger and agony  
Are better than misery  
Trust me I've got a plan  
When the lights go off you will understand_

_  
Pain, without love  
Pain, I can't get enough  
Pain, I like it rough  
'Cause I'd rather feel pain than nothing at all  
Pain, without love  
Pain, I can't get enough  
Pain, I like it rough  
'Cause I'd rather feel pain than nothing  
Rather feel paaaaiiiin_

My throat felt a little weird after saying the last word so long, but I ignored it to speed up the rest of the lyrics.

_  
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know  
That you're wounded  
You know, you know, you know, you know, you know  
That I'm here to save you  
You know, you know, you know, you know  
I'm always here for you  
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know  
That you'll thank me later_

On the next set of lings, I returned to using the slower tone I started out with.

_Pain, without love  
Pain, can't get enough  
Pain, I like it rough  
'Cause I'd rather feel pain than nothing at aaaalll  
_Nearly at light speed, I forced my vocal cords to adjust to returning to a normal tone so quickly.

_Pain, without love  
Pain, I can't get enough  
Pain, I like it rough  
'Cause I'd rather feel pain than nothing at all  
Pain, without love  
Pain, I can't get enough  
Pain, I like it rough  
'Cause I'd rather feel pain than nothing at all  
Rather feel pain than nothing at all  
Rather feel paaaiiinnn_

Flame and the others wrapped the song up by playing a few more notes. Now that there was no more music the audience's cheer could be heard better. I think they ever cheered louder! This nearly made me jump out of my skin. There has to be a catch. Maybe it was Flame's guitar playing or something. The lump returned in my throat, so it was hard to say much more.

"Uh...thank you...and good night!" I gently set the microphone on the floor than ran backstage.

All this was too much for me to bear. I've never had this much attention before, and don't know how to handle it.

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I was still backstage with my face burning, sweating a little, and sitting in a veto position against the wall.

"C'mon, it wasn't THAT bad," Viper assured as she gazed down at me.

"What are you saying!? I ran off the stage and humiliated myself all 'cause I can't handle a little attention!"

I had never been so embarrassed this much since Johnathon started taking it easy on me with the beatings and the humiliation. I don't know how I'm ever going to live this down.

"I've seen worse," Flame informed. "You shouldn't make such a big deal out of it."

I didn't want to talk about it anymore or I won't ever live it down. Instead, I decided to change the subject. "How's Skull Basher?"

"Talking about me?"

I looked to my right and saw Skull Basher walking up to us while rubbing his head.

"Are ya alright?" Tricky asked.

"Yea, fine." Skull Basher continued to rub the back of his head.

"What happened anyway?" Viper asked as she got closer to check on him.

"Dunno. First I'm in the lobby to get a drink, then next thing I know I only can see nothing but black. The punk must of snunk up behind me. Damn, my head hurts!"

"Oh, don't be such a wuss," Flame sneered. "You've had a lotta hangovers to know how to handle a little bump on the head."

"Shud up! It's not like he gave me a sissy blow."

"He must of because your empty head would of bursted already if he didn't."

"That's it! You asked for it!" Skull Basher took a few steps toward Flame, but Viper grabbed him by the arm and dragged him on the stage.

"Not now! We gotta get on stage with everyone else to see who won," Viper reminded as she dragged him. They disappeared behind the red curtain. Tricky, Flame, and I followed. I still felt humiliated, but I'd make it worse it I don't show my face on stage. By the time we were on stage, most of the other bands were already present.

It seemed we missed some type of speech the judge made or something because he was now getting ready to open the envelope with the winners.

The judge, probably only in his late twenties with black hair, tore the envelope open. "...and the winner is...the Lasting Pain!"

The audience cheered once more. This...can't be right. I must of heard wrong. I stood there to let the real winners go forward with the judge. A familiar hand snatched me by the arm and started to drag me at the front of the stage.

"Don't stand there like a idiot!" Viper commanded. "We won!"

My emotions went numb. It just felt so unreal. It felt too good to be true. I gulped as I stood there with the band. This can't be right, can it? I can't sing!

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"Cheers for our much better lead singer," Flame commented as he lightly tapped the side of his beer can on mine.

We pulled our cans away from each other to take our sips. Flame quickly took a long chuck of it while I just stared at it for a while. Smoke from drugs made the air have a vile smell. It was so thick that it kept making my eyes feel watery. The party's music wasn't too loud, but I thought it was a little much. I knew if Johnathon caught me here, he'd tear me to pieces. It's a party every parent warns their kid about. A queasy feeling filled my stomach as I remember how Luesa told me to be careful around these kind of places. Luesa...it's been weeks since I've last seen her and...I couldn't find a way to escape to her house since I got stuck with bodyguards. I just have a feeling that Uncle will notice me gone, and I'll have to pay for it. Well, if I'm going to die, I mind as live a little first.

I glanced back at Flame who was still sipping his beer and watching other people dance. I rubbed my watery eyes, but my eye's state didn't change.

"Uh...Flame...I need to ask you something."

Flame looked back at me with a smirk on his face. "Lay it on me. Whuddoya wanna ask?"

I gulped before letting myself saying it. "Am...I mean...was the judge paid or something to make us the winners?"

"What!?"

"I'm sorry!" I bursted out panicky. I looked away from him because I could feel my face burning again. It was unbearable to make eye contact with him "Sorry I asked"

To my dismay, Flame walked where I was looking. "Why would you ask something like that?"

"I...I can't sing! This can't be right!"

"Kid, what are ya talking about? You sing a LOT better than Skull Basher. YOU should be the lead singer instead."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I never thought I could sing. I always thought I was terrible. I had some singing lessons for a few years before I went off the private school, but I never thought I could sing. Johnathon and everyone else didn't react to it much. I guess they were too busy yelling at me or hitting me when I mess up a note.

"Now that you're the new lead singer, we need a new band name."

"W-what!? Since when!?" All this was happening too fast. I can't take all this in at once.

"Since tonight. Didn'tcha hear Mr. Aron?"

"B-but..."

Before I could finish, Flame flashed out a cigarette out of his coat pocket. "Here." He put in in front of me to grab.

I was in shock. I never and I mean NEVER thought anyone would ever offer me a cigarette. My heart nearly stopped at the sight. A small chill went down my spine.

"Try it," Flame offered.

With a shaky hand, I sluggishly snatched the cigarette. "Is this..."

"Don't worry. One won't kill ya. Just inhale and exhale out the smoke. Let me lit it." Flame pulled out a lighter out of his other coat pocket. "This is another reason I'm called Flame. I usually provide the group with the fuel."

I gulped as I held the drug with two fingers. Flame put the lighter closer to it, then flicked the trigger until a tiny blaze came out. The cigarette immediately got lit. For a few seconds, I stared at the cigarette before putting it towards my mouth. On instinct, I took a huff of the cigarette. A nasty burning taste filled my mouth. Within I second, I exhaled the smoke out, then had a coughing fit. My hand came flying on my mouth (I was always taught to cover my mouth when I cough or sneeze). Before I could complain about the foul taste, my nerves felt soothed. The peaceful feeling dominated my morals. I wanted more relief. I repeated the steps once more. This time I didn't have a coughing fit. I've never felt so alive!

"What's the new band name?" Mr. Aron asked while treading towards us. Viper, Tricky, and Skull Basher were also standing beside him.

I looked down at my cigarette once more.

"Give the kid a break!" Flamer ordered. "He just found out about the new change in plans."

I knew what I'm doing right now is sinful. I knew just being here was sinful. Heck, even my birth is sinful. You know what else? I kind of like it. This brought a smile on my face as I glanced back at the band. "Sinful Pleasure."

My boss and band mates glanced back at me with a little surprise on her face.

"You mean the new band name?" Mr. Aron asked.

"Yeah. I suits me quite well."

"Love it! It's a lot better than old one."

Suddenly I could hear footsteps behind me. I twirled around to find a hot, curvy teenage girl probably my age. Her eyes were brown. Her hair was ebony colored . She wore a short black mini shirt, revealing her well shaped legs. Her tops was black with a skull in the middle. She wore black lipstick and spiked jewelry. She was quite a site!

"Hey, cutie," the hardcore girl said with a flirtation voice. "Wanna dance with me?"

All my words seemed clogged in my throat. This is the second time I ever had a girl interested in me. Before I could reply, another girl, this time a blond, came over to me.

"No way! He's mine!" the other girl said.

"Get lost! I was here first!"

"Wanna scrap with me for him?"

The Gothic girl responded by snatching a handful of her blond hair, then jerked her hair up. The blond respond back by using her long nails to dig in the Gothic girl's arms. Just like that, a fight broke out. Fists launched. Kicks rapidly did damage to each girl. Nails clawed off the service of the other girls skin. Curses were shouted. Many of the people at the party crowed around the fight.

"Cat fight!" Skull Basher shouted. "I'm putting my money on the blond."

"Mine goes for the goth girl," Tricky betted.

Flame walked right beside me, then joined me on watching the fight. "Awesome! Two girls fighting over you! What's it like?"

I didn't bother making eyes contact with Flame as I answered. "To be honest...scary, really scary yet...pleasant."

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My stomach did somersaults as I walked down the street. Even the school uniform I had on again was a mess. I had the worse headache in my life! My eyes drooped from the lack of sleep. Street lights and lit stories burned my eyes. Traffic noise made my ears ache. This city never sleeps. I felt so ill that walking nearly became unbearable. I doubt I'll make it home without dosing off, so I decided to find a place to sleep. Luckily for me, I spotted a bus stop bench, and immediately lied down on it. My limps ached as I slowly rested my body. I lied on my side to add comfort to the hard bench. I blinked a few times to clear my vision. Just when I gained back my vision, I could see a boy with wavy auburn hair, probably only three or four years old, and a woman, probably in her late or mid twenties, with curly sandy colored hair came out of the shop across the street. They both had hold of each other's hand.

"Mommy, I'm tired," the boy yawned. "Can you carry me?"

The woman smiled a toothy smile, the scooped him up. "Sure." She started to carry him toward the end of the street to my right. "What do you want for breakfast when morning comes?"

"Can we have chocolate muffins?" the boy requested with a very drowsy voice.

The mother giggled. "Sure. Why not?" She took a left turn at the end of the street, then disappeared.

My heart felt shattered at the sight. Tears came out, but now sob came out. I shut my eyes to plug up the tears, and embarrass myself in public. I opened my eyes only a few seconds, only to have them shuts again.

_It's not fair! I never had that kind of love at his age! Why don't I have what he has? Maybe I'm just not good enough. Maybe I just have to try harder. I might get lucky one day. I guess I'll get it. I just need to work for it. Until then, I guess dreaming about a mother isn't so bad._

**Please review. Remember, the more reviews I get, the quicker I update. **

**Whew! This chapter was a huge pain to write. I know I did a terrible job of writing out Vincent while he was singing. I just wanted to try something new. I never read a fanfic where someone actually goes into details about a character singing, so I was unsure of what to put. Most fanfics only have the lyrics and nothing more when a character sings. I also made a few touches to the lyrics to make it more realistic. I know, I need work.**

**Sorry for this chapter being rushed. I tried my best not to add any unnecessary scenes. **

**This chapter is dedicated to Northsky and I Cyn I. Thank you, Northsky, for helping me come up with the band names. Thanks you I Cyn I for beta reading Take Back the Night for me. You should give them a PM thanking them. I Cyn I worked hard to make chapter 1-19 to look more decent and is still fixing up chapter. Also if it wasn't for Northsky, it would of taken even longer to get the last chapter and this chapter done. **

**I hope this long chapter makes up for the long wait. I'll try to update whenever I get the chance. I promise the next chapter will be better.  
**


	26. Plagues

**I'm severely sorry for the wait. If you're wondering what took me so long, look at my profile.**

**Now many questions you guys have may start to be revealed. You never know what might be coming, so assume nothing! I'm going to try something new. This time, I'm starting this story in Johnathon's point of view. Don't worry Johnathon haters. I'll switch to a couple other characters' POV later. I would of waited a little while longer to reveal more about Johnathon, but I thought this was a good time to do it. Wonder who will show up next? You have to read to find out.**

**Important Note: This chapter is where the plot finally picks up, but it may be strange to you guys, especially now. Please just bear with me. I hope everyone enjoys the story, despite my unusal new direction.**

**By the way, this chapter may contain mild spoilers for Abuse, TBTN's prequel.**

That brat! That demonic brat! He thought he could sneak out on me last night, and get away with it. For that, he's going to pay for it. Just wait until he gets home. The pathetic police can't find a simple boy. It makes me feel sick that I support them financially. It's been a full night already. Who knows what happened to that demon since he wandered off. If it wasn't for my brother's love for him and if he wasn't the last of our kind, I would just let him die out in the street. How my brother can care about him is beyond me. I don't see what he sees in him. Just keeping the boy is endangering our lives.

The grandfather clock taunted me with it's clicks. Each click represented how long that monster's been gone. Every click slightly drilled in my brain. I already felt like crushing a few objects. All this waiting was becoming unbearable. Grimoire might call about him any minute.

"He'll turn up," Veronica assured. She took a seat beside me on the sofa. "Just try to not stress over it."

"Don't tell me what I can and can't do!" I barked at her. She's got a lot of nerve.

For a while, Veronica hesitated about saying another word. At the corner of my eye, her eyes reminded me of a helpless puppy. That woman is so weak. If she wasn't my sister, I'd beat some guts back into her.

"The reject is probably just at 'you know who's' house right now," Veronica went on.

This stirred a little anger in me. She thinks she can fool me with the cheap insults, the womanly slaps, and the cold shoulder she gives the boy. I can see through her charade. I already comprehended the truth ages ago. She cares about the boy at least a little. If she despised him as much as I do, she would of made stronger insults and inflicted more damage on him already. She could never hide the truth from me. She can keep calling the brat vulgar insults for all I care. I feel disgusted about both my siblings losing their sanity over him either way.

Just when I thought the grandfather clock and the boy was enough to drive me up a wall, Veronica continued to say some assuring words to me. They never reached my brain, though. I honestly can't bring myself to listen to her anymore. It's sad how she fell under the boy's spell. Grimoire is one thing since he was so young when that monster came into his life, but Veronica of all people!? The only thing helping my mood is knowing I still have my sanity.

_Tick. Tick. Tick. _The clock kept rapidly driving a nail in my skull. My temper slowly spiraled out of my control. It felt as though a barrier that stored my emotions was slowly cracking.

"...maybe he's just...then again..." When will that woman learn to be silent?

I can't take it anymore! It's all got to stop. "SILENCE!!!"

The room went silent. Time seemed to of freeze at my command. As I looked down at Veronica, I started to pity her. Her eyes were like a frightened mouse. She trembled like a wet kitten. I was now even standing for some reason. I guess my temper gotten the better of me. That woman is scared of me. I just know it. It's why she tries to get on my good side so much. I honestly didn't know rather to feel guilty for putting her under so much fear or to feel dominant for being so much in control. I guess it leaves me to feel a little of both. To prevent anymore confusing emotions to plague me, I collapsed back on the sofa to settle down. I crossed my arms, and forced my eyes to not even glimpse at her. I just don't have the heart to hurt her any further. Silence plagued me now. When will all the annoyance end? I tried to be patient with it all, but even I have limits.

"Leave," I whispered the command without making eye contact. I didn't want to risk shouting and being destructive.

"W-what?" I know she's gazing at me now. I can feel it. That adds to the list of plagues today.

I clenched my teeth in hope of soothing my anger. "I said leave. NOW!" My tone gotten sharper.

Footsteps immediately pounded the floor. It continued until it finally faded. That woman sure doesn't have as much courage as she used to. At least she won't be around for me to deliver the monster's punishment.

* * *

Sunlight beamed through the windows, giving the room a more radiant color. Birds sang a lovely tune, meaning it was going to be a lovely day. Sadly, my terrible mood is ruining everything. It's a shame all this came at the worst time. Now a perfect day is ruined because of my nephew. Ugh...did I just call him my nephew. Now I have another sick feeling in my stomach. 

Patience is suppose to be a virtue. Waiting is suppose to be worth the effort. I'm not sure if this is all worth it. If only I can give the boy severe punishment like I used to. If only it was time for summer vacation. At least I don't have to worry about social worker..er...I mean that noisy woman interfering. On second thought, I shouldn't celebrate too soon. I have a feeling she'll be back. I know her well enough by now. Too well. The only way it could get any worse is if she actually showed up or if the boy had school today. At least it's Saturday, but it doesn't excuse his absence. This hard chair I'm sitting in isn't helping my mood any better.

I didn't know whether to leave the room or to keep waiting on him. I somehow know he's going to return on his own. He probably thinks I'd be in a better mood if he doesn't come back with a police officer. He is partly right if that is the case, but it only slightly gets me in a better mood.

My thoughts were interrupted when I heard the door crack open. My heart pumped swiftly. More heat filled my body from anger. Sweat slightly formed on my forehead. Despite me being angry, I felt a tiny bit joyed. Now that he's back, I can finally relax. A smirked formed on my face as I stood up.

"I'm getting tired of you running off," I stated, narrowing my eyes at him.

He didn't look up at me. Instead, he gazed down at the floor. The nerve of him! He was always taught to make eye contact when someone is talking to him. How could he be so weak to look up at me? I taught him many years ago that it only brings more consequences.

"Look at me when I'm talking to you!" I sharply commanded.

Nearly at slow motion, he looked up at me. The sight was disgusting. His school cloths were ruffled and torn in many places. Many dirt spots were on his cloths. There were even some other vile grime on it that I don't think I want to identify. His hair was sticking out in various places. His shoes were filthy probably because he ran around so much. His eyes were droopy and showed a hint of him being ill. I could tell he must of had major trouble sleeping. He even seemed to of caught something. He nearly looked like a kid that lived on the streets. He makes me sick.

His appearance only stirred more angry in me. "Do you realize that I'm gonna hav'ta punish you now?"

No reply came. When will that boy learn to answer all my questions? "Did you hear me?" I repeated. Keeping my temper is becoming a major chore.

At a blink of an eye, the boy was already trooping around me. On instinct, I viciously snatched his collar. "Hey!" I yanked him in front of me, and kept my grip on it. "Did I give you permission to leave?"

Once again, he refused to make eye contact with me. My grip on his collar tightened as my control over my emotions started to fall apart. Intense heat appeared on various places of my body. A tangle formed in my chest. Dark thoughts tried to take control of my actions, but I forced them to stay in the back of my head.

After a long silence, he finally made eye contact with me.

"Bite me!" he snapped back. Before I could get enraged about his reply, something caught me off guard. His eyes...they were...so filled with hate and darkness. My blood ran cold at it. Why are those eyes plaguing me? Does this feeling mean anything? His cold glare reminded me of a demon. No...it can't me...the witch's eyes! He has her eyes! I got to destroy them now!

Without wasting a second, I slammed him on the marble floor. His scream immediately made my stomach turn. It felt like being stabbed by a dagger there, only worse in a way. His moaning was followed by a pleading look in his eyes as he glanced up at me. The feeling in my stomach grew worse. I forced my eyes the other way from him. At light speed, my thoughts became mixed to the point where I had no clue what to do next. For some time, I stood there with various emotions. Anger and pain remained dominant. Another scream startled me from my thoughts. That's when I saw that my foot was suddenly on his head, forcing his face down the floor. I may never know how my body can have a mind of its own.

The sight was pitiful. A little of blood was already spreading across the marble floor. The emotional dagger in my stomach twisted to the point where it became unbearable. I'm way out of practice with keeping him in line. I hate the boy so much. Innocence and manipulation is a genius combination. I bet it's how he tricked himself into Grimoire and the rest of my family's hearts. And after we vowed to never...time to lead the boy into his real punishment. I removed my foot off of his head, so he could follow my next order.

"Go to your room. I'm not in the mood to deal with you. Besides, I have something awaiting you upstairs. NOW go!"

Right when I said the last sentence, he took off flying up the stairs. This made me smirk. I felt victory for teaching the boy a lesson. I wonder if it's even possible to put him in line. It's just like taming a vicious demon. It's nearly pointless, but breaking the demon inside of him is worth a try. I didn't get to celebrate the victory for too long. A knot tightened in my chest. Ever since he was left with me, it's been the same. I'd keep reminding him over and over to obey and behave.

Even the smallest deed he does can lead to bigger and darker ones. The brat often tries to weasel it all out by using innocence to plague me, but I'm not fooled. I still keep delivering the punishment. After I'm finished, the brat somehow tortures me both mentally and emotionally. I could never figure out how he already damages me this way after I'm done with him. No matter what I do to him, I always lose in the end somehow.

He's a heartless monster with no soul, and that will never change. But...he's still a master of suffering. What are these feelings he always plagues me with? I can't just let him go around taking advantage of people. Then again, I have to worry about him sending pain to me. What am I thinking!? I'm stronger than that. I must be way out of practice. I can't do any severe punishment right now. It's too risky.

It took me ages to develop a shell around my heart. After one punishment after another, I learned to completely guard my emotions. Now that it's been nearly a year since I delivered any good punishment to him, my emotion's barrier is starting to disappear quickly. If this keeps up, I may be back to where I started.

If only I could relax, but I have a feeling something worse is going to happen. Please let me be wrong. Just this once.

Vincent's POV

As I stood in front of my bedroom door, my stomach did somersaults. I don't think it's the alcohol or the drugs that's causing it. I had a bad feeling about going inside my room. Something didn't seem right. I hope my senses are wrong about what lies inside. With a trembling hands, I somehow managed to open the door. At first I only cracked the door open to peak through. My heart dropped at who I spotted. Andrew...and he's sitting on my bed. I know he sees me. His gaze focused on my hungrily. I honestly didn't know rather to tremble or roll my eyes. He tortures me every night anyway. How's this going to punish me? There wasn't any point in keeping the door cracked anymore. He already sees me. Without much thought, I swiftly pushed the door open, letting it bounce against my wall. A magnet seemed to pull my eyes to my feet.

"Guess what, Vincy..." Andrew quizzed. His tone seemed to be odd in a way. He must be hiding something, but what?

Once again, I didn't see any point in answering. A knot already tightened in my throat anyway. Suddenly, I felt hands grab my arms tightly. My heart nearly halted at the touches. Chills went down my spine. Slowly, I turned my head over my shoulder. My heart dropped at the maximum at what I saw...them...Matthew, Earl, and Julius. The horrifying sight was probably enough to make me die right there.

"We got some new playmates today." Right when I looked ahead of me, I saw Andrew was already standing a few feet from me.

Another knot formed in my stomach. Chills leapt to various parts of my body. Before I could really react to everything, I found myself being dragged to my bed. On instinct, my feet already started dragging across the floor, trying to struggle to delay what was going next. Panic caused my mind to race in countless directions until all thoughts were scrambled, putting me in a more vulnerable position. Slowly and dreadfully, my legs started to wobble like jello. Breathing swiftly turned from a simple task to a struggle. It is as if my emotions' were trying to shut down my lungs, killing me to prevent anymore pain. A sharp pain stabbed me through the chest, as if the aim to the most fragile area was perfectly planned. The men soon through me down on my bed and started to tie me up (I have no idea where the rope came from). Lying there in agony, I struggled with two different thoughts; fight back and escape or lie there and prevent any more trouble. I decided not to fight back. After all, I am outnumbered and I still have to worry about Johnathon.

Oh, you must be wondering who those men are, right? To make a long story short, I'll make it all simple. They're Andrew's friends. They work with him in a few businesses. Back when Andrew started living with us, they visited us every month and stayed for at least a week. They would all gang up on me and...sexually abuse me...a lot...and I'd rather not go too far in details. Let's just say it wasn't pleasant and leave it to that. The worst so far was when they stayed for six months, only six months before Andrew stopped living with us. You must be surprised about finding out about them all of the sudden, right? Thought so. Somethings are better forgotten. Some memories are better locked away.

My hearts kept pumping more and more rapidly until I felt it was going to go flying out of my chest. Things only got worse when my hands were tied to my bed's headboard. Immediately, my thoughts tried to race somewhere else, trying to block what was going to happen next. A rough gulp went down my throat. My head throbbed as my thoughts wandered in different directions, probably from trying to hard to help me escape. Piercing laughter is all I heard before my emotions became some unbearable that my thoughts became completely unstable.

* * *

Luesa's POV

I hate myself so much right now. I really do. I left Vincent alone for too long. Who knows what could of happened to him by now. Way to go, Luesa. It's one thing to leave him alone with that monster for a while, but now you leave when your identity is revealed? How stupid can I get!? There's no point in whining. I'm here now. This time, I'm facing that bastard. There's no point in hiding. It's stupid that my plan isn't well thought out, but I can't afford any more hesitation. I'm not scared of Johnathon. I have...other things to worry about.

After taking a few deep breaths, I quickly knocked on the door. Within a minute, someone answered. Wow, that was fast. Great, it's only a butler. Now someone else will know I'm here.

"G'day ma'am, may I help you?" I'll admit. The guy is quite a gentlemen.

"Can I come in? I...need to speak to Johnathon in private...alone. I'm...the social worker that comes here a lot remember?"

Just the mention of the words, social worker, was enough to make him immediately sidestep out of my way. "This way!" Some anxiety filled his voice.

Did Johnathon tell him...no...he wouldn't...would he? Ugh, get a grip, girl. March in and do what you came for!

With my head held high, I treaded inside. I bet Johnathon is in the library. I just know it. Let's see if I'm right.

I carefully cracked the library door open and saw him. Johnny, you're so predictable. I pushed the door open roughly, getting Mr. Valentine's attention. I mean Johnathon. It disgusts me to talk about him so formally, especially now. He never moved a muscle, just kept glaring at me. He must of expected me.

"I knew you'd be back." I was right. Ten points for me. Johnathon slightly snorted before lifting himself off the wooden chair, the one he had in front of a desk. That coward only treaded toward me until he was over five feet from me. "I heard the abuse case got closed back in the social group or something. That's sad for you. Either way, you lost."

This stirred more anger than me. I didn't come here to be bad mouthed by that man. I came with more serious matters.

"You haven't won just yet." Anger nearly caused me to shout it. Luckily, I have major control over my emotions. "You still can get arrested or the law can have Vincent taken away whether I'm still in charge of the case or not."

"It's a shame that our first meeting after all these years has to be like this...Emarine."

"Don't EVER call me that." I didn't even realize I raised my voice until it echoed across the empty room. This caused me to pause for a while before I continued. "Especially now. Where's Vincent? What did you do to him now?"

Johnathon chuckled at my demand, still slightly glaring at me. "Not that it's any of your business or that you should care, he just came back a couple hours ago. He ran away last night and has been punished. Don't worry. I didn't and haven't been beating him. Now you should go before you do something you're gonna to regret."

The nerve of that man! Has he forgotten who he's dealing with? What he said about Vincent still has me worried now, though. "You have no place to command me. Besides, I have every right to worry."

"All because Vincent was partly born from your carelessness? I don't think so. He's no longer you problem, at least not directly. Any guilt you feel about the whole mess still doesn't give you the right to care." By the time he finished, he started to circle around me like a famished tiger. Every step slowly made me my instincts more sharp. Curse that man for toying with my emotions. My heart ached at what he said. Even though I know the past can't be changed, it still hurts to think about it. "He's our property and there's nothing you can do about it." Now I'm angry. FIREY MAD!

I summoned fire through my hand to create a fire ball. Great heat burned my entire body until I was literally shaking mad. Within a second, I harshly casted the balled-up flame at him, sending it flying at high speed. The instant the fire was about to hit him, he barely managed to dive out of the way, letting the fiery sphere hit the wall. A dark burn mark quickly formed where it hit. Slowly, Johnathon climbed to his feet. That man has to be way out of practice to be so sloppy with evading. His smirk partly surprised me. Hey, wait a minute! Did I just use my...

Johnathon let out a cruel laugh, as if my recent "gift" was to entertain him. "You haven't changed one bit, old friend, except for your appearance. By the way, I thought you liked your hair short, not long enough to go down your back."

I called off what was left of my fiery power by letting it fade away quickly. After taking a deep breath to calm down, I got into my usual battle stance, legs bent and hands situated in front of me. "Things change."

Johnathon returned my battle stance with his own, which is similar to mine. "I don't get why you care about him so much. It's not like he's your kid."

"Doesn't matter. No matter who or what he is, I won't stand by any longer and let you harm him." I let my eyes slightly narrow to prepare for any sudden attacks he may try on me.

"Then we have a challenge." A roar escaped him as he tossed a lightning bolt at me.

All I had to do was swiftly side step, and let the attack hit the wall instead. Who is he kidding? Now it's my turn. I swiped the closest bookcase, then tossed it with only a small amount of my strength (I got to watch how hard I throw it right now). The shelf went flying as planned, dropping many books in the process. To counter my attack, Johnathon sliced the bookcase with his sword. At least I know still remembers how to summon his weapon.

"You didn't think I would let you come without being prepared, did'cha?" Johnathon taunted me as he lowered his sword.

His question nearly brought a grin on my face. His sword isn't enough to defeat me. "You've completely lost it, haven't you?"

"And it's coming from a woman who suddenly marches in here without a warning without much common sense? Are you really serious about all this?" I got to admit. He has me on the marching in part.

I cautiously trooped closer to him, watching for more attacks. "If I was truly serious, you would of been dead over ten times already. I can't do many of my attacks in here without either causing attention or bringing this entire building down."

"Why you little..." Johnathon didn't bother to finish before he sent another object at me. A desk soared at me at high speed.

I spun out of the object's way and let it hit the wall like I did with the lightning bolt, giving myself something to laugh at. "What's wrong, Johnny? You gettin' too old to fight me?"

Obviously, I'm getting to him. His face turned red with a great glare to go with it. I didn't know rather to worry or laugh at how short of a fuse he still has. To get revenge for my comment about his age, he slammed his fist into the floor, sending a huge a section of it at me like a wave. I high jumped to the top of a random book case, dodging the attack, knees bending as I landed. Instead of a weak lightning bolt, a great thunderbolt came towards me. Jumping off the bookcase and out of the thunder's way, I did a couple speedy flips before I stretched my leg in front of me, creating a kick. Before I could check for sure if I hit my target, my leg plunged into the floor. Huge chunks of the marble floor scattered in several directions. Johnathon stood a few feet from me with his sword out in front of him, ready to shield against anymore of my attacks. The guy's not bad at dodging as I thought. Charging towards me, he swinged his sword. I curved back in time to watch the sword slice the air above me.

Using the bending to my own advantage, I somersaulted backward to give myself distance between us.

"Why don't you summon your weapon?" Johnathon demanded in between one of his pants. I must be right. He is getting too old for this. Maybe he's just out of pratice. "Are you mocking me?"

I didn't bother to answer. Why should I? How many times must I say that I can't use my powers here? Cerberus is too dangerous for me to use at the moment. Besides, I don't really need it right now. This is getting out of hand. No more playing nice. I should at least warn him before I do anything else a little more drastic.

"You better surrender before I have to get more rough on you. Believe me, you'd be better off to give up." I know it sounds arrogant, but I speak the truth. After all, it's more honorable to warn him.

Johnathon's expression didn't change. All he did was stay in his stance, ready for me to strike. "You don't know when to give up, do you?"

I really should be asking him the same thing. "Okay, you asked for it." I did a flash step, a attack where I dash at high speed, to get behind Johnathon.

Twirling in my directions, he tried to slice me once more, only this time he summoned fire out of it is strike. At that instant, I summoned my force shield to cut off his fiery strike. The flames immediately died and quickly turned into smoke. As soon as my force field disappeared, I charged at him. The blade never even touched me as I evaded countless attempted cuts. I never broke a sweat. Unlike him, I'm not out of practice. I'm just way too use to this kind of thing. Finally, I gave him a great punch in the chest, sending him flying. I leapt at him to release my own series of blows. In mid-air, drawing back my wrist and finger as spread out as possible, I released the "tiger blow" across his face. Right when he flinched, I slammed my fist down on his chest again. The marble floor wasn't too kind to him as he brutally landed on it. He slid across the floor and out of the library until his head hit the balcony's railing.

Ouch. He's going to feel that for a while.

I didn't have to worry about him getting up right away, so I took my time with treading towards. For a short moment, I stared down at him to see how much fight he still had back in him. He still has a lot, but I did do major damage on him. I'm tired of games. I'm ending it now.

I stretched my arm in front of me to form a hand sign. Once again, I spreaded out my fingers as far as possible, only this time I'm doing a different attack. I built up energy through my arm to form my next attack. The golden colored energy spiraled around in front of my palm until it formed into a sphere. It still continued to rotate rapidly. As soon as I gathered enough of energy, I slammed my palm into the ground, leaving a lot of cracks in the stone balcony. In seconds, huge pieces of the stone floor rose up beneath Johnathon. Acting like hands, the pieces absorbed his arms, causing him to be bound into the floor. His legs were my attacks next victim as they plunged into the floor. Johnathon staggered with all his strength, trying to escape my stone trap.

I don't know why, but I stood there watching him struggle for a short while. Strange, I know. Maybe I was amused. Maybe I was secretly worried about him escaping. I don't really know. I suppose I'm weird that way. It didn't take him long to get tired of struggling. A spiteful glare was thrown as he glanced up at me.

"Try getting out of that!" I spun on one heel, and started to head out of the balcony and into the library.

Johnathon shouted a few things at me, but I didn't really hear them. I think he said something like, "I'm going to kill you" or "Get back here coward!" It doesn't matter. Now to find Vincent and...do I hear footsteps behind me?

I didn't have to even glance over my shoulder. After all, the footsteps patterns makes it too oblivious.

"You can't get rid of me that easily," Johnathon informed, panting.

"I'll admit. I'm impressed you got out so easily, but it doesn't mean you stand a chance."

"I'd watch it if I were you. You know using your powers in the human world is forbidden. You're breaking the code."

"Screw the code!" This time I raised my voice. It took me several seconds before I realized I was facing him. Girl, pull yourself together. You're even starting to face him without thinking. Wait, did I just say...I shamed the code. It's too late to turn back from shaming it either. "It's only forbidden if anyone mortal catches me. You're not really mortal, so nothing's gonna happen."

Johnathon had his arms crossed with a content look on his face. I swear that man has a strange split personality. He sometimes calms down quickly when he really shouldn't. Some powdered stone dirtied up his cloths. A few tears were made in his cloths, probably from when I imprisoned him with the balcony's stone floor. "I'll only tell you one more time. Stay away from the boy. You know what can happen if he sees you doing anything 'strange.'"

"Like you're anymore human than me. He's gonna need to know the truth one way or another, especially since...

"I already heard. The...our enemy is back."

"How did you..."

"I have resources." Johnathon got closer towards me, arms crossed and pretty calmed down.

I mentally smacked myself. How can I talk to him like he was the same man years ago? I didn't come here to chat with him. Vincent is my main concern. "Look, I gotta take him to safety. She...they...'you know who' could find you guys at any time."

"If they haven't found him after all these years, I doubt they will find him now."

Just when I was calmed down, I'm back at being angry. I took a few steps toward Johnathon. Our eyes connected. Racing from anger, my heart beats nearly blocked out my hearing. On instinct, my hand formed into fists, squeezing until my muscles ached. My body vibrated and I like I was burning. I hate how he can't take my word for things. This isn't the time to play games. Burning, my eyes narrowed to the point where they couldn't go any further, causing my eyes to hurt.

"Look, they're not the only monster I have to worry about harming Vincent. You're a monster for torturing him, and don't deny it. Do you think I lost my ability to sense someone's pain so quickly? You know that all I have to do is read someone's eyes and body language to know something is wrong." Anger plagued me over and over until my emotions started to spiral a little out of my control. Within seconds, it got to the point where something inside of me burst out, causing me to raise my voice little by little. "There's no point in denying what you did. Do you think I'm that stupid? Do you think I would miss that kind of thing? LET ME TELL YOU!!! YOU'RE THE FOOLISH ONE!!! AND LISTEN HERE..."

Footsteps cut me off. For some weird reason, my anger was greatly reduced at that sound. Maybe pausing gave me a chance to settle down. It's probably Veronica or a servant. I shifted my gaze at the door for a moment, then returned back to Johnathon. No emotions shown on his face. He probably expects a servant or Veronica like me. After all, who else can it be? I decided to continue my conversation before I get off track. "When will you learn how bad the situation..."

"Emarine! I didn't expect you here!" The voice behind me was filled with excitement. That voice...

More footsteps followed behind me until familiar arms embraced around me. I'd recognize those arms. I slowly glanced up and saw...him.

"It's been so long. I thought we'd never see each other again." Grimoire.

**Whew! I'm sorry for Vincent's lack of narrating, but this chapter is important. I'm also sorry about the action scene and chapter being cheap. I tried not to put too much in it because some attacks could of brought the building down in real life. I'm WAY out of practice. I'll be back on track after a few more chapters. Please review. I REALLY need to know what everyone thinks because this new plot twist is worrying me.**

**Jenova's Fifth, I'm sorry it took so long for Grimoire to finally show up. I've been dying for him to show up since I first created the fanfic, but it took me a LOT longer than I thought. **


	27. His Return

**I know I'm really late for the update. I tried my best to update but lately I've been distracted or busy. I also wanted to take my time with this chapter because it's suppose to display a lot of emotions . Please review whenever you get the chance. Reviews really help me update because they help give me inspiration. **

**It's still hard for me to believe it's getting close to Take Back the Night's one year adversity (yes, I know it's not for another two months but still...). Thank you everyone for all the support. All of you made me one happy girl, especially since I had a small chance of getting good support. I didn't even expect for my second fanfic to get this much attention. This chapter starts out in Luesa's POV for a short while. **

**You can skip the following notes and head straight for the story if you want because it's only a poll I'm doing.**

**Which pronunciation sounds better for Luesa's real name (Emarine)?**

**A: E-mar-rine**

**B: E-mar-ring**

**If you going to vote, please at least comment the story or give me constructive critism. The comment with the vote doesn't have to be long or too fancy. It can be basic if you want. Secretly, I like one pronunciation better than the other one, but still not sure about using it.**

Alright, you can officially call me a fool right now. There are many reasons you can call me one. For one thing, I marched in here without much of a plan. I hate admitting Johnathon's right! Second, I'm standing there with Grimoire's arm around me, clueless about what to do next. My heart raced as my thoughts scattered to different directions of my brain, causing many suggestions to come to me at once. I didn't know which to pick: scream at him for leaving Vincent alone so long, break away from him and inform him about a few important matters, or stay still and enjoy the warm embrace since I haven't seen him in so long. Some many decisions, so little time.

Luckily for me, I didn't have to really do anything. Grimoire released me, then went over to Johnathon to shake his hand. I still stood in the same spot. It never crossed my mind at all for Grimoire to show up. A chilling feeling plagued me. I could never mistake it. My instincts were speaking to me. There's something important I got to do right now. Then it hit me. I still don't know if Vincent's okay. This thought caused my heart to pump faster. Swiftly, I twirled to face the door, then started to tread out.

Before I even took a couple steps, Grimoire causesd me to pause. "Wait, wait. You're leaving already?"

I froze there, not even looking back at him. Maybe I was too ashamed of myself to face him. Maybe the thought of Vincent kept attracting my eyes to the door. Either way, my eyes never wandered toward Grimoire as he treaded behind me. Before I knew it, I felt his presence behind me.

"I was hoping you could stay...for a while. For...old time's sake. How about you stay around here for a while? I mean...if you're not too busy."

I was a little surprised with Grimoire's request. It's been years since we've seen each other and he's already asking if I can stay with him for the night. Hey wait, that's actually a good idea. It's just what I need to finish my missions. I don't like the thought of it a little, but this way will really help with my tasks.

I glanced over my shoulder to make eye contact with him. "Alright. I...got to tell you about a few things anyway."

Smiling, Grimoire grabbed Johnathon by the arm, taking Johnathon with him as he sprinted ahead of me. It only gave Johnathon a few seconds to throw a glare at me as they exited. I decided to take advantage of this by making sure Vincent was okay. Okay, I know what you may be thinking. I sound like a broken record, but I'm worried to death here! I don't even understand why he makes me worry so much. I already know Johnathon couldn't of done anything much serious, and I learned to contain my emotions a LONG time ago, but something feels different about him. I really shouldn't be standing here, wondering. For both his and my own sake, I better make sure nothing's happened to him.

Vincent's POV

Right now I feel beyond miserable. Greatly torn describes my feelings much better. Many emotions kept tearing me up inside: anger, hate, sorrow, and shame. My thoughts scattered to the point where I couldn't think straight; dark and sorrowful thoughts remained dominant. Pain kept tearing me from the inside out. Being violated by more than one man has multiplied my pain. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't contain my tears. I hated myself for that the most. I always have cried when I shouldn't. Crying only makes things worse. It also gives me another reason to feel like garbage.

Mocking laughter stabbed through my heart and thoughts.

I can't stand it!

I tried my best to get my mind to drift anywhere else. Closing my eyes, I wrapped my blanket around me to gain at least a tiny feeling of security. The more I heard anything from the men, rather it was laughter or even movement, the more my eye lids tightened. All this noise made me want to scream, but fear can be a strong muzzle. The mixture of concentrating to drift away and all the noise caused my head to throb. Chills went through various parts of my body, causing me to wrap the blanket over me more tightly. My stomach ached to the point where I thought I was going throw up any minute. I tried my best to curl up into a ball to help relieve the chils and stomach pain.

A few fingers on my face snapped me out of my thoughts, giving me dismay. I tried to remain still has Andrew played with my bangs, taunting me. I managed to hold in the rest of my tears as he further messed with my emotions. For quite a long time, he stood there, messing with my bangs. I never let our eyes connect. I couldn't bear to do it.

_They're finished now. They'll leave here soon. Don't give in just yet!_

This thought didn't have much effect on me. It felt as if someone else in my head said it, not me. Instead of comforting me, it helped me feel worse. They're finished with me for now is one of the major problems. I was like a tool to them, maybe even worse...a toy. Being a tool and a toy has it's own differences. When you're a tool, your master just uses you until he or she doesn't need you anymore at the moment. Being a toy is even worse because your user will often use you even longer than a tool. Toy brings pleasure which means more using. Not only will a toy be sometimes be used to fit the user's needs but toys are often taken further advantage of for pleasure. That's why toys are broken more than tools. The more you're used, the sooner you're going to break or become used up. Being used for pleasure is far more painful than being used for tasks.

Time seemed to slow down as the four men stood in front of me. Shame quickly plagued me as I realized how much of a fool and a weakling I appeared in front of them. When Andrew finally stopped fooling with my bangs, a sign that means he's almost finished with me, relief soothed me. Sadly, I didn't get to feel it for too long. With a devilish grin on his face, Andrew shoved me off my bed, causing me to tumble roughly on the floor. The blanket around me softened my landing, but it never protected my heart from the mens' snickering. I never tried to get up because my sprit felt weaken. I felt too broken to move. Again, I curled up into a ball with the blanket over me to make me feel a little security again. I don't even care how much of a fool I make myself. I just wanted to feel at least a little better about myself, even if it means sacrificing what was left of my dignity. Helplessly, I watched the men leave me. All of them still snickered quietly to themselves. Since he was the last one to leave, Earl closed the door, leaving me to suffer by myself.

Even though this kind of thing has happened to me tons of times, I still could never get used to it. It's hard to say whether I should or not. It's not like I wanted this, but I might not survive much longer if I don't learn to adapt at least a little. What am I saying!? Why should I let myself be their slave?

_"Because Johnathon will torture you if you don't do what they say." _Voice in my head, I hate it when you're right.

For quite a while, I lied there with a heavy heart. It felt like needles were stabbing it over and over. Tears kept pouring down on their own. No sobs came, though. Breathing became difficult. I had to take more oxygen than usual because the air felt stale. My heart pounded more quickly as my breathing became more painful. It felt as if my body was telling me to stop breathing all together and just let myself die. It's not a bad idea. I wish I could but...I just can't do it. Especially after Joey...died for me.

The thought of Joey gave me another reason to cry. I felt both selfish, stupid, and angry about it. I've been so caught up in my new plans that I forgot about him for a while. How could I forget my first and probably my last real friend! Now I'm starting to get scared of forgetting Joey all together, almost the only reason I'm still living besides Luesa and Lenny.

My thought bubbles were popped right when knocking came on my door. My heart nearly leaped up to my throat. My first thought was that Andrew and the rest of his disgusting friends were back for more. I swiftly trembled at that thought for a few seconds, but stopped once I realized something; if it was them, they wouldn't be knocking. They would of barged in already. Same goes for Johnathon and Veronica. Well, I'm not sure about Veronica but still...then who can it be? More knocking followed.

"Vincent, are you okay!?" My heart nearly bursted out of my chest from joy. All of the sudden I felt more warmer. I even felt a lot of security and joy gained back.

Luesa's back!

She kept knocking on my door. "Vincent!?" Her voice got more fearful.

Like being striked by a bolt of lightning, a thought hit me. I was still on the floor undressed. This caused me to scramble to my feet frantically, and quickly snatch a couple articles of my cloths off the floor. I don't want Luesa to see me like this! I gulped multipliable times as I slipped on my boxers and slacks. I wanted to be sure my voice didn't have any fear in it. She might burst in if I don't say anything, so I decided to settle on whatever calmness I had at the moment. "P-Please don't come in!" My heart pounded much more when I realized I just studdered. I speedily took in a few breaths, but it didn't help me calm down much. "I'm getting dressed!"

A pause followed for a short while. "I'm glad you're alright!" Relief was thick in her voice. "I'm sorry I haven't been around for a-"

"No!" I interrupted her. "I haven't come to your house in ages, so it's not really your fault." As soon as I had my pants on, I made a quick grab for my white undershirt and school blazer. Quickly, I slipped on my undershirt, and started to put my arms in my blazer's sleeves. I tried my best to calmly stride to the door, buttoning my blazer as I walked. Unfortunately, I still trembled a little. I'm not sure if it's because fear of Luesa seeing through me or from excitement of her return. Once my hand was on the knob, it froze right there. I tried to wait a while to calm down.

"Vincent, are you sure you're alright?"

I had no choice but to open the door, whether I was ready or not. The more I hesitated, but more suspicions I'm making the situation. Slowly, I opened the door, careful not to make too many suspicious movements. It wasn't long before my eyes met a couple familiar blue ones. Without saying a word, we stood there, waiting for one of us to say something. The silence felt awkward. I don't understand why neither of us didn't say anything. I suppose we both just don't know what to say. After a few moments, my gaze shifted to my left. Eye contact became unbearable.

"I...uh...Vincent, there's a lot of explaining I need to do and..." Luesa paused for some reason. For an unknown reason, I placed my gaze back on her. I just wish she would spit it out. I want her to say something...anything! I need something to make me forget what just happened.

Throbbing returned to my head. All the side effects of alcohol and a couple drugs returned. I feel very thankful I didn't take too many last night like Flame advised me to. I still felt unpleasant, though.

Hey, wait! Where's Johnathon? Normally he's following Luesa everywhere whenever she visited. Something's not right.

All of the sudden, I heard a distant, familiar voice. At first I didn't recognize it, but it still somehow drew me near the stairs. Then it came again. This time I heard it much better. At light speed, I recognized the voice.

FATHER!

Excitement rapidly bounced inside of me in all kinds of different directions. My heart beaten at high speed in excitement until it felt like it was going to burst out of my chest. I didn't want to wait any longer. It's been nearly an entire year since I last saw him! With my mind spinning, I dashed down the stairs as quickly as I could. I didn't know what to say to him yet, but I didn't care. I could of sworn Luesa shouted a few things at me as I made my way down, but I didn't bother to wonder about it. All that was really on my mind was seeing Father again.

Finally, I reached the bottom of the stairs, eyes darting around to find him. Voices, mostly likely Father's and Johnathon's, attracted me to the right, near the family room (it's my family's fancy name for the living room). Just as I got near the family room's entrance, Father and Johnathon exited the room, talking about something. My heart practically did flips as Father's presence processed through my mind. It's so hard to believe! It felt as if I was having a dream too good to be true. Breathing became a little more difficult again. A great burst of energy kept building up inside of me until I felt like I was going to explode, giving me the great urge to embrace him. Finally, Father finally noticed me. A warm smile formed on his face. As usual, his features remained joyful and friendly.

Radiant sunlight beamed through the windows, giving the entire building a lovely glow. The weather today suits Fahter pretty well.

"Vincent!" Father's voice was filled with a balance of joy and gentleness. Father trooped closer to me with his arms spread out a little, welcoming me into an embrace.

I tried to say something to him, but my thoughts were mixed up. All my words remained clogged in my throat. Instead of saying something, I decided to accept the hug. I dashed toward him, heart beating rapidly. Just when I was only a few steps away from him, all the memories of his absence hit me all at once like a large stone. My excitement and joy swiftly turned into anger and depression within seconds. My emotions crashed roughly. The joy I had only a short moment ago made my heart crash even harder. This emotional crashing is like I climbed on top of a mountain, then accidently fell of it. An unpleasant scowl formed on my face. Aching like it was badly stabbed, my heart drastically slowed down to the point where I thought it was beating a lot slower than it should be. It wasn't long before my eyes burned. Anger caused a knot to tightly twist in my chest. Dark thoughts clouded my mind until I felt I had to step back, causing me to slowly back away from him on instinct. The strange thing is that the farther I got from him, the more dark thoughts formed. I don't know why for sure I felt I needed to keep my distance from him as much as possible. It's either because I wanted to calm down or I had to worry about my dark thoughts getting me to strangle him.

After a while, my feet moved on autopilot, giving me the chance to watch Father's expression better as he became further away. His once joyful features slowly got replaced a hurtful ones. Nearly at the same time, both his arms, eyes, and smile lowered.

Once I was happy with the distance I had from him, I froze. I was so mad that I felt I could explode. I narrowed my eyes at him until I couldn't go any further.

How dare he act like nothing happened! How dare come home and try to act like he didn't abandoned me both on my own birthday and Christmas! How dare he try to be a father after he can barely make time for me! I wanted him to come back for several monthsa while back, but now that he's finally back, I don't even want to see him.

"Vincent, what's wrong?" Father approached me with a hurtful look. His face was at least a little piercing for my heart, but my anger and my own pain remained almost too strong for it . "Aren't you happy to see me?"

Happy to see him!? Why would I want to see him when I know he's just going to leave again only in a day or two? Why would I want to see him if he's more of a stranger than a father?

These thoughts caused me to make clenched both my hands into tight fists. My knuckles started to strain a little from making them so tight. Own their own, my eyes fell to the floor. Right when I did this, I saw Father's slightly worn out, light brown hiking boots. As if my neck was caught in a tight bind, I slowly glanced up at him. His gaze immediately afflicted me with guilt. I hate that man so much right now! I should be mad and unhappy NOT him!

"What's wrong?" Father's tone remained calm, but it still showed a hint of hurt in it. "Did something bad happen while I was gone?"

I didn't feel like answering. There was so much I wanted to scream at him all at once, but I didn't know where to start. At the corner of my eye, I could see Johnathon giving me a one of the most piercing glares he could offer, but I disregarded it. I'm just too mad to care about him. Before I could reply, I heard footsteps behind me. They immediately startled me out of my thoughts. Slowly, I twirled around in the footsteps' direction to find Luesa coming down the stairs. At a quick pace, she treaded towards us until she was standing between, us if she was being a referee for a wrestling match. Maybe she just somehow read my mind and knew I was in the mood to do some major strangling.

Luesa's appearance made my father smile for some reason. Maybe it's because he's just plainly socialable, but there's something weird about this entire thing. Is it just me?

Once Luesa walked up to him, he wrapped his arm around her, then pulled her closer to him. Within seconds, I was startled enough to flinch. Nothing was said for a few short moments, leaving me to stare, stunned. My jaw probably even dropped. Normally when a guy as much flirts with her or approaches her, depending on the situation, she'd just plainly ignore him or walk in the opposite direction. Instead, she gazed to her left, obviously avoiding my eyes. Wait, is she blushing!? I swear if one more surprise comes today I'm going to have a heart attack! Speaking of heart, it's loud beating practically was the only thing I could hear as the room went silent.

Just when I thought no one was going to answer, Father announces, "Vincent, there's someone I like you to meet. She's an old friend of mine, and it's been quite a while since I've seen her. This is E-"

"Luesa!" Luesa interjected, voice filled with a little anxiety. Her glance returned back on me as she said that. I was a little lost, but decided to play along anyway.

Father, too, looked confused for some reason. He seemed to of just gone along with what she said because his blissful features quickly returned.

I reached out my hand to give her a hand shake. "Nice to meet you. As Father said, I'm Vincent." I know it's pretty strange. In fact, it feels weird just thinking about it. It was as if everything that happened with me and Luesa was only a dream and never really happened.

At first Luesa just gaped at me, looking just as lost as me a few moments ago. She didn't stay confused for long, though. She grinned, and reached out my hand, playing along. "It's a pleasure to meet such a fine looking young man."

We released each other, then took a short time gaping at each other.

Father's expression remained the same, smiling and delightful. After the awkward silence, Father released Luesa. "Now, son, you must treat our new guest kindly. It's a great honor she even has time to stay for a couple minutes." Father strided a couple steps ahead of Luesa, then twirled around to see if Luesa (maybe me?) was following her. "Ema-" Father coughed a minute. What's with that guy today? "Let's catch up with each other. I'm sure you have a lot of your own great stories." Father went back to striding toward the family room.

Uncle, who I forgot about for a while, followed without glancing back at me or Luesa. When I glanced back at Luesa she was already glancing back at me, causing our eyes to connect. Her eyes seemed a little sorrowful in a way. It started to worry me a little. I didn't say anything. I felt too sick to my stomach. One of the few people I can trust has lied to me. Just great. Who knows what else is a lie.

"I'll explain later," Luesa vowed. "Promise." Without another word, she followed Father into the family room. Luesa, you better have a good explanation. After all, you're probably the only person I can trust.

**This chapter was an pain to write! I was going to make this chapter a lot longer, but it was either go with a short chapter now or come back with a longer chapter a lot later. For now on, chapters might not be as long as most my other's because I'm a lot more busy than I used to be. Hopefully, updating with shorter chapters will help me update faster. Please review. Remember, reviews help inspire me.**

**One more thing, my birthday is Sunday and I'm doing something special for my birthday, so updates will slightly be delayed.**


	28. Coming Clean

**To make a long story short, people have been dragging me around to places and certain events kept me from updating for a while, so that's why I took so long to update. I'm a little mad because I was planning on updating on October 13 in honor of Vincent's birthday, but things have been keeping me busy.**

**Some things in this chapter has some reference to it's prequel, Abuse, so things may be explained in a future chapter in that fanfic. The fanfic mostly just gives extra details about some things that happened, so I don't think anyone has to read it. I also plan on returning to some past chapters to repair them. I at least need to repair chapter 25 because I was pretty careless with a lot of mistakes.**

Back and forth, I paced in the library. Thoughts clouded my mind to the point my sight blurred.

Luesa would never betray me, would she? She's already been planning to tell me about what the truth right?

Luesa's possible betrayal kept stabbing my heart. This thought is just too unbearable. Throughout my life, people pretended to care about me or be my friend. To think after all the pain I had as a child, I would of learned my lesson my now. I don't really understand how I let Joey in so easily or Luesa when they were strangers. Something about Luesa just doesn't add up. I just don't understand why she would go against me after all she's done. Perhaps she really does care about me? How does she know my father? Father never talked to me about her, but I really don't see him that much anyway.

It's been five hours since she came. Who knows what they're talking about in the family room. I suppose walking in circles in here isn't going to get me anywhere. Eavesdropping might dig my own grave, but at least it's better than waiting for Father to leave with the truth.

I trooped out of the library as silently as I could. Right when I stepped out, a twisting feeling formed in my chest. I don't know why I'm a little scared. Both Father and Luesa are here, so Johnathon can't do anything. It's probably because of what I'll find out. Well, the sooner I find out, the sooner I can get over whatever it is. Luckily for me, the family room is right next to the library. I didn't even have to take too many steps before I heard some voices. It's got to be Luesa, Father, Johnathon, Veronica, and Andrew (I think Matthew, Earl, and Julius left to take care of some errands around the city).

"...of been awful. I'm sorry about...you know what," Andrew sympathized for someone. Don't ask me who. I just got here, remember?

"Sorry? For what?" Father sounded pretty confused.

Quickly, I pressed my ear to the wall to hear better. Hopefully, I don't get caught like last time.

"Andrew!" Johnathon's voice was sharp, making it effective enough to not need to yell.

"Opps, sorry. I forgot you told me about it, not him."

"What are..." Father paused, probably figuring out what Andrew was talking about. "Wait, Brother, did you tell him..."

"He won't tell anyone about it, so the secret's safe," Johnathon assured. I think I know what he's talking about...

"I guess it's okay if Andrew knows." Even though Father said it was okay, by the tone of his voice, he was a little upset about Andrew knowing. Not upset as in angry, just plain...either embarrassed or saddened.

"You just can't learn to keep your mouth shut, can you?" Luesa's definitely irradiated. So she has been keeping something from me!

"You don't have to answer if you don't wanna," Andrew stated. "What was it like to be a father at such a young age? You were seventeen, right?"

My heart dropped right when he said that. I never had much of a chance to think it over until recently, but being born from teenage parents can be hurtful and feel awfully strange. It might be just as bad to have a illegitimate child. Maybe even worse. Imagine someone around you mentioning something like, "Hey, is that Grimoire, the guy that screwed up and got that one chick pregnant?" I can only imagine the pain and humiliation.

"I'll admit that it definitely wasn't easy." Father chuckled as if it was a small humorous event you're suppose to laugh at when you get old. "I was careless and foolish back then, even though I matured a lot quicker than most boys. My carelessness is part of the reason I got myself into so much trouble at that time. I don't think I was seventeen when I had him, though. I think I was a little younger."

For some reason, the last part made me feel a little worse about myself. I guess it's because the younger your parent or parents were when you were born as a illegitimate child, the worse you feel. Possibly being born from even younger parents made me even feel more disgusted with myself.

"I never really kept good track of your age when it happened," Johnathon admitted. "Maybe you were sixteen and a half?"

"No, he was only fifteen, but his sixteenth birthday was only a month away," Luesa corrected. "I remember it perfectly." Now I'm officially scared. How does she know so much? She's only around her early or mid-twenties. At least I think she is.

"I think that sounds just right," Father agreed. "Before I forget, sorry about making all those promises for my return."

"Promises?" I can count on Luesa to ask questions for me.

"Yes, not long after I left this home last year, I kept telling Johnathon I would be back again any time. I kept promising over and over, but never could get the chance to return for a while because both Shinra and family business has kept me busy."

Something about what he said made me realize something. Father's talking turned into murmurs as my thoughts became my focus. That's it! That explains it. That's why Johnathon has been taking it easy on me since last year and still keeps doing it! Father's promise must of made Johnathon worry Father would show up when he's beaten me badly, tortured me, or neglected me too much. If he returned to find evidence on me things could get messy.

I heard enough. The longer I stay, the more I risk getting caught. Luesa is hiding something and so is everyone else, but I can't risk getting caught again. Wait, then she may know who my mother is! Crud, I can hear footsteps. I better get going.

On tip toes, I dashed toward the library, ready to pretend I didn't hear anything. It's a good thing the library and the family room isn't too far. Right when I got into the library, I just sat in the closet chair, which was near a large arched window. I spotted a golden colored book with a red rose on the cover, on a small table next to me. Snatching the book, I opened it in front of me to pretend to read, hopefully cover up my suspicious behavior. Footsteps pounded in the library, meaning someone was approaching. To make it look like I was innocently reading, I decided to not glance at whoever was approaching me at least until he or she was right in front of me.

It wasn't long before I could spot a pair of familiar leather boots at the corner of my eye. I slowly lowered my book to look at her. Just as predicated, I could see Luesa standing in front of me, arms crossed.

"Two things, first off you better grab your glasses and put them on as soon as possible," Luesa ordered, not in a dreadful tone like Veronica or Johnathon would normally use, just in a plain tone. "You're lucky no one noticed you didn't have them on. I don't know exactly how you don't need your glasses right now, but that's not important. Second, your father sent me to tell you it's time for dinner. Just play along with me until we can talk in private tonight. I'm sorry I'm putting you through all this, but things can get really messed up if he knows the truth about how I know you."

I never realized I forgot to put my glasses back on! I had them on when I returned home today, luckily, but I must of forgot to put them back on after...Andrew...great, now my stomach ache is worse.

Luesa was already heading out of the library when I came back to reality. Remembering what she warned me about, I rushed out to get my glasses. I'm sorry I ever doubted her loyalty. I really need to smack myself for that.

Normally, eating with Father brings me so much joy I'm ready to burst, but this time it's different. This time I'm too furious at him to enjoy dinner.

Aromas, delicious enough to make anyone's mouth water, scented the entire dining room. Peace steadied the room like it was any other family scenery. Well...maybe not family-like, but close enough. I felt like an outsider in the room. I somehow felt like an outcast in everyone's conversations. Father and Luesa kept having their own conversations that was going around me. Andrew, sitting right next to my right, and Johnathon, sitting to Andrew's left, whispered things I couldn't identify. I don't know what happened to Andrew's "playmates," but hopefully, they won't be coming back for a while. Veronica sat next to my left, but ate in silence. I guess she doesn't feel like talking. The knot in both my stomach and chest kept me from caring much about what everyone was saying. I didn't even see why we're sitting so close together because we have a really, really long table.

I glanced down at the steak below me. It's been so long since I had anything that's this delicious (I've had this type of steak before once), but I didn't want to eat. I'm just so mad at Father that I want to do something that gets back at him.

The attractive smell coming out of it kept taunting me to eat, but my aching stomach and chest wouldn't let me. Part of me remained too stubborn to eat. It was as if eating the steak would make me lose my honor or value. I also wanted to show Father that something's wrong.

I already tried telling him about Johnathon two times and look where it got me! Telling him directly isn't going to work. Maybe doing it indirectly may help. What am I thinking!? He probably won't believe me either way. That would be so typical of him.

I envied Luesa a little. Father's attention was mostly on her, but...she seems to be troubled about it. I guess she really couldn't help having most of his attention. If I know her as well as I think I do, the urge to get Father to open his eyes about the whole thing is eating at her. That must be it. Her eyes once in a while glimpsed at me for a few seconds, then returned back on Father.

Now I feel bad about both doubting her and envying her.

"Vincent, are you feeling alright?"

Father's question immediatly popped my thought bubble. By the time I was brought back to reality, I could see him staring at me with concern.

Wait, is he trying to make me feel about or something? Why does he keep pretending he cares?

I didn't answer simply because I didn't know what to say. I'm having trouble choosing between giving him the silent treatment or just blurt out a insult just to satisfy myself at least a little.

"You haven't touched your food," Father noted. "Are you ill?"

My stomach is hurting, but not in the way he would expect. On their own, my teeth grinded together as I tried to keep my temper under control. "N-no, Father! I-I-I'm fine!" Curse anger. I don't want it to burst out just yet.

Father's frown got worse, making me a little angrier.

Out of the blue I realized another reason to be mad. Truly mad. He took me away from my real mother and never told me about her! I can't believe I hadn't thought about that!

Forgetting some manners Johnathon and Veronica taught me, I reversed the chair backward, swiftly jumping to my feet right when I got it far enough to stand up. With anger starting to get the better of me, I slammed my palms on the table, and let my eyes fall to the floor. I felt a lot worse when I felt like I was going to cry. I'm close to crying! I've always been a big baby! I hate myself so much right now! Why do I sometimes cry when I'm angry!?

Silence quickly happened. I don't know how everyone is exactly reacting to it because my eyes still remained glued to the table. After taking a few huffs, I tried my best to politely ask, "May I be excused?"

More silence followed. I suppose my sudden action has startled everyone terribly. I felt Johnathon secretly glaring at me. I can swear I feel it beaming on me.

"...of course." Father's tone was a bit flat, but anyone can tell he is still started with what I just did.

Without another word, I treaded out. Well...actually I more of stomped out. Once I was far enough from the dining room, I breathed heavily like a iron lung. My temper kept messing with my heart rate and breathing. Over and over, I took in huge amounts of oxygen at a time, and exhailed just as much out. My eyes even started to burn a little. I badly wanted to scream, but was worried about what it would do to me. Besides, all it would do was make my throat sore. The deep desire to be at peace in my room caused me toward hurry the stairs.

I just need to get away from everyone, even Luesa. I need my own privacy for once. I need my own santuary even if it doesn't last too long. I just need to relax and calm down.

It's amazing no one has disturbed me since I've ran up here. I've been stuck up here for who knows how long. It's been hours. That's all I know. It's dark out, so it must be a little late. Already on my bed, facing the window, I flipped on my right side to see my alarm clock. It's ten o' clock already! Wow, I never realized I stayed up for so long.

I bet Father is just going to leave me tomorrow like he always does. I doubt he wants to deal with me right now. I may later regret letting him get away, but I shouldn't waste my energy pleasing a man that doesn't seem to care much about me.

Ugh...I'm really not in the mood to think like this. I should at least sleep on it.

Closing my eyes to rest, I slowly drifted to sleep. I don't even care I'm wearing my messy school uniform instead of my pajamas.

Just when I was only a couple seconds from falling asleep, a creaking noise interrupted my rest. Cracking an eye lid, I could see the door slowly opening. My eyes flashed open, and I speedily sat up. My heart dropped when I saw Andrew coming toward me. I didn't know how to react to him. Am I suppose to just ignore him since he really can't do much to me because of Father? Maybe I should run? Both choices are so tempting. Running could make things worse on me and probably wouldn't be necessary, so I decided to go with the first choice, stay.

Great, now Andrew just sat on my bed. Terrific. I'm being sarcastic by the way. He wants something. I mind as well ask.

"What are YOU doing here?" I asked, irritated.

My rude tone caused Andrew to rise his arm up, ready to slap me. I didn't flinch. I didn't even need to. I know he's not going to do it.

As probably reality hit him, he snapped out of his anger daze, and lowered his hand. I knew it. Both Luesa and Father are here after all. But before I could celebrate, Andrew's hand got close to my shirt.

Panicking, I slapped his hand away. "What the hell are you doing!?" Shock slammed into me. Why is he trying this when there are two people here to worry about?

A frightening smile formed through his lips. More desire for me filled his eyes. "Just because your father is here doesn't mean I'll let you have a free night."

"Where's...your...friends?"

"They left mostly because of your father and that blond woman that keeps nosing around. We can't have them suspecting something, can we?

My heart dropped clear to the point I felt like it was going clear down to my stomach, making my stomach ache. Please don't tell me I'm not safe from him even when Father is here! Please don't! "W-what...b-but..." All I could do was stammer. I just couldn't believe it. How can this happen to me again, and under Father's nose!?

Snatching me by the wrist, Andrew pulled me closer. As I was sharply yanked toward him enough to accidentally bump into him, our eyes to connected.

His eyes are a lot worse up close!

I couldn't help but to gulp. I don't want to go through with this! I'm tired! I can't take any more of this torture! I'd rather get beaten by Johnathon, and that's saying a lot.

If he thinks I'm going to let him do this to me on the one night I'm suppose to get a break, he's wrong. Dead wrong. Without planning out my escape, I nailed him in the chest. No, not literally. Never mind, you get what I mean.

Andrew immediately recoiled, causing him to release me. Taking advantage of his flinching, I leapt to my feet, then scurried out the door. By the time I got out of the door, I could already hear Andrew's footsteps pounding behind me, causing my legs to pick up speed.

"Get back here you low-life maggot!" Uh oh, Andrew's defiantly furious.

Up ahead, I spotted a guest room with its lights on.

It's got to be the room Luesa is staying in. Father's office is too far away, so I'll have to take my chances with dashing in.

Sensing Andrew's hand near the back of my head, I ducked out his reach, barely dodging it.

I'm almost to her room. Just a little more!

My heart plummeted when I felt Andrew snatch a handful of my school blazer. Frantically, I attempted to squirm out his clutch.

No, this can't be it! I was so close!

Before I could feel the entire loss, Andrew grabbed my shoulders, then forced me to face him. At light speed, a slap was made across my face. My left cheek burned right when it impacted. I didn't know rather to be anger or miserable about being caught and slapped.

Chills went down my spine as I felt Andrew's hands wrap around my wrist, harshly gripping it nearly enough to wound me. To prevent screaming, I clenched my teeth together and slightly staggered to help ease the pain.

"Now you crossed the line." Andrew squeezed my wrist tighter, giving me a great desire to scream. "Because of your rebellious state, tonight, I'll make the last years of our 'game' look like a joy ride."

Before I could argue with him, I heard a door creak open behind me. I glanced over my shoulder to find Luesa, in a sky blue spaghetti strap shirt and white pajama shorts, treading towards us, hands crossed on her chest. Since she didn't have her ebony sunglasses on like usual, angry glare was both more noticeable and piercing.

"What is goin' on here?" Luesa demanded just as she stopped to stand right in front of us.

At the corner of my eye, I could see Andrew's expression, speechless. I suppose he underestimated her hearing.

I really want to tell her the truth, but I'm too scared mostly because I'm too embarrassed with the whole thing and because of what Johnathon would do if he found out. It doesn't matter if I tell her anyway now. I know she's not stupid.

Finally Andrew gained the nerve to say something. "I-I...he was trying to see you, but I had to stop him because he's not suppose to disturb a guest so late at night."

"Oh really, who says?" Luesa's tone remained sharp.

"I-it's house rules."

"That's fatheaded because no one asked me what I wanted. I asked him to see me anyway."

"R-really?" Andrew's stammer kept getting slightly worse.

"And why are you stammering? What? Do you think I'm a vampire or something?" Yes, Luesa sounds rude, but she normally is this way only if she KNOWS something is wrong. Great, now she'll probably try squeeze the truth out of me later. I have a bad feeling in my gut about that.

"N-no, I was only concerned about you being disturbed."

"The only thing disturbing me," Luesa swiftly threw her gaze Andrew grip on my wrist, "is how suspicious you're acting and how viciously you're gripping the kid."

Luesa's remark caused Andrew to immediately release me, faking a smile soon after to cover his suspicious behavior. Speedily, Luesa snatched me by the arm, then started to drag me to her room. Her movements were so quick, I didn't even get the chance to glance back at Andrew before she closed the door behind her. Even when we were in her room (I guess I can call it that since it's a guest room and she's staying here for now) she kept leading. Finally, we got to her bed, and she sat down on the side of it, making me sit down with her as she gently pulled me down to sit next to her. Releasing me, she turned her head towards me, making our eyes connect.

I grew scared because I didn't know what was going to happen. The longer the silence, the more my fear grew. Many moments passed, and the awkward silence still kept going. I have to say today is the new record for Luesa and I having the most silent moments.

After a while, it felt like the silence lasted for hours. It grew slightly intense for me, slowly eating away at me, trying to get me to speak first. My pounding heart made it hard for myself to think.

Without being able to think straight, at this rate, I'm going break down. I just know it! I wish my heart will stop plaguing me! Great, I'm giving in sooner then I thought.

"Why didn't you tell me you knew my father?" It came out a lot easier then I thought it would, but it didn't really feel like I was actually saying it. It just sort of came out. I'll admit I'm a little furious at Luesa for keeping some much from me, but I'm definitely a LOT more infuriated with Father than her.

Luesa glanced away from me in a flash. Again, silence followed, only this time it was shorter. Luesa returned her gaze on me to explain. "I'm sorry. I was planning to, but...there's so much going on right now that it's just...not a good time. Not yet."

"Could you at least explain your relationship with my father?"

Frowning, Luesa hesitated.

I didn't want any more silence, so I decided to keep questioning her. "Are you..." Gross, I can't believe I'm going to say it. "Were you...I mean...are you guys still...dating or something?" I know Luesa is old enough to choose who she dates, but...it's just kind of scary thinking she could be in love with my father, especially since she's a very close friend to me.

Everything came at a quick pace. Blushing changed Luesa's facial color. Her features twisted into both being embarrassed and angry. "I'm NOT his girlfriend and never was! We're only close friends that known each other for years!" Luesa's tone pierced my ears, frightening me a little.

Two different emotions pulled my reaction into two opposite directions. It was hard to tell what I should do: feel embarrassed about asking something so personal and stupid or be scared about her being angry. Luesa may not get mad easily most of the time, but she can be very terrifying when she's does. Just look at what it did to the "vampire biker" last September.

To my relief, Luesa's expression softened within seconds. "I'm sorry, Vince." Her tone became gentle enough for me to calm down. "It's just so many people think we're...together even when we're only in the same room! For some reason, people just assume stuff like this. Nowadays, a lady can't have a male best friend without someone saying, 'You two are obviously in love and should date each other' or 'Oh my goodness, how long have you two been together?'"

I nearly broke out in laughter after Luesa was finished imitating people who says the stuff she quoted. What she saying is true, though. A female having a close male friend can make people quickly assume they are together or will be together. In fact, I even mistaken it. To prevent laughing, I decided to replace it with a large grin. "Sorry, 'bout that. I just don't know what's going on and...it's not that I care if you were...with my father...but..uh..." I feel like an idiot now.

_Way to go, Vincent. That's a smooth way to apologize. _Why am I the unlucky boy to have a voice in my head?

Despite the annoying voice in my head, I felt more relieved. I know I could trust her now.

Her own smile only lasted less than a minute. I grew scared of what she was about to say. "Vincent...I...got bad news." Luesa's frown got worse as she said this. My fear grew even worse.

"Wh-what is it?"

"The...your case...you see..." Luesa deeply sighed, preparing herself to tell me the bad news. "The social services has closed your case over...your abuse."

I could of sworn my heart stopped beating right when she said that. In denial, I couldn't believe what she was saying. I figured I didn't hear her correctly or this was only a terrible nightmare.

It can't be true! I can't believe it!

Some much dread hit me at once that I felt I was going to faint. I greatly desired to not believe it, but something in the back of my head told me there's no denying. It wasn't long before I felt my eyes widen and my own jaw drop.

If what she says is true, Johnathon will go back to his old ways of punishment right when both Father and she leaves and when summer vacation comes, which is only a few days away. The thought of this made me think of suicidal thoughts. Going back to the old ways would be unbearable. The worst thing is that I did a lot of things to tick off Johnathon since he took it easy on me.

Before I could further react, Luesa continued, "We can't be messing around anymore. I won't be here to protect you once I have to leave. Johnathon already knows about the case being closed! If you have to tell me something, now is be the chance!"

I secretly wanted to bawl. I know. I'm acting like a crybaby. I'm so close to having someone save me, but I'm too scared to tell her the truth. I would rather die than return to old ways of punishment! I mean it! Why am I so scared to spill it!?

Repeatably, I gulped to swallow sobs. A stomach ache formed. My chest tightened inside. You want to know what else is bad? Father is going to just leave tomorrow. I just know it.

"Luesa..." I had to bow my head to not show her my tears that built in my eyes. I closed my eyes for a few seconds to plug them up. "Nothing is..."

"LOOK AT ME!"

Both her screaming and the touch of her hands on both sides of my cheeks startled me enough to flash my eyes open. Before I could recover and close them again, she swiftly, but not too forcefully pulled my head up to face make our eyes to connect again, just in time for her to see a couple tears stream down my cheeks. Without her glasses, her eyes burned me even further even though her glare was only mild. A sob accidentally escaped out of me without being thought about.

Her expression softened during my sob. I tried to gulp down whatever was left of it, but it was pretty much too late to contain. I can't stop it now. At least, not right away. Trying to contain it all at once is pointless. Now I can't hide from her. She now knows something is wrong. I hate myself so much right now.

"That proves it." Luesa's tone was so low, it was nearly a whisper. "You are keeping something from me."

A small flicker of anger appeared out of nowhere, somehow stopping my whimpering. I don't even understand how I can be even a little mad at her.

"And you're know about my mother and ain't telling me anything 'bout her!" I didn't even realize what I said until a few seconds later, when Luesa's eyes widened for a very short time, probably because I asked such a personal statement all of the sudden.

What I just said terrified me because it never even crossed my mind and it didn't even feel like it was coming from me. To cover up what I just done, I decided to change the subject a little. "Father...father wouldn't even believe me anyway." I flinched at my own sentence when I realized I accidentally slipped out part of the truth.

"So you're finally admitting it?" Luesa's eyes narrowed a little. The frown on her face gotten worse.

I can't just give up the truth like this! There's nothing she can do.

"I...no...I mean Johnathon never-"

"Stop! That's enough! Stop lying! There's no point in doing it any further. You know me better than that. Just come clean." Luesa put her face closer to mine, making me more uncomfortable.

Oh god, I don't want her to know yet! I'm not ready! I'm not ready! Lying is pointless now, but I'm not ready for her to know the truth. There's no going back after I tell her the truth. Hesitating felt like escaping the truth, but time's almost up!

All the possible consequences for telling her the truth hit me all at once: Johnathon winning the court case and making my punishment ten times worse (that is if it gets far enough to court and IF he can make my punishment any worse), Luesa getting ruined or put in jail (I still remember Johnathon's threat over her), Father disowning me IF a miracle happens and gets Johnathon found guilty in court, all my school mates finding out the truth about me on the news and I'll be forever known as "the boy abused by his uncle" and forever humiliated, and many more possible results clouded my mind. Fear greatly overwhelmed me because there's no possible way I can avoid anything close to these outcomes. It got to the point where I got scared to weep again, only a lot harder this time.

Arms wrapping around me and warmth caused me to stop crying for a few seconds. I then realize Luesa was embracing me and holding me close to her. Safety and maybe even being cared about soothed me, but it still didn't stop my sobbing completely, only lessened it. I just sat there with Luesa's arms around me, bawling.

"Your father would believe you," Luesa finally assured.

"N-no he wouldn't." My sobs kept making it hard for me to talk.

"Why not?"

"J-J-Just because."

"Why not?"

"He just wouldn't." I already told him a couple of times and he didn't believe me. If only she knew.

"I'm sure he would. I'll make him if I have to. Just give me an final answer. Are you being abused or not?" Luesa didn't need an answer to know, but I knew she needs a full answer before she can do anything drastic.

My breathing became heavy. Trembling followed. My heart beaten rapidly until it felt like it was close to bursting out of my chest. This all felt too good to be true. As a child, I dreamed about someone rescuing me, mostly thinking it would be my father. I had fantasies of how it would happen and what happens after I'm free, but after a while, I put them aside as childish dreams that will never come true. Now that my one chance has finally happened, it hits me roughly because it's been so long since I prepared myself for it to happen. Maybe there's nothing that would prepare me for it. Whatever the case, I kept fearing giving the answer because if I do, there's no going back. I can't go around whatever may happen. I can't put myself in denial and pretend it's not happening. There's no way I can completely predict what's going to happen.

I took in as much oxygen as possible to relax myself. My gaze shifted from her and towards the door because eye contact unbearable. Seconds felt like hours as I waited for my own courage to come.

After probably a few minutes, it came. "...yes." It was more of a whispered answer than simply reply. I don't know what it was that possessed me to say it. It's surprising how so much I said and done tonight just came out without thought.

More silence followed. I didn't know what to do next and I bet Luesa didn't either.

Admitting the truth slowly caused another sob to escape me. I bit my lower lip to fight it. Just by the way it ached holding it in, I knew a big whimper attack was coming. I hate crying, especially in front of someone. Ever since I was a child, I was always such a cry baby and overwhelmingly sensitive.

I'm pretty much a mature young adult. Why am I crying now?

I don't know what made it slip through, but all the whimpers I attempted to contain exploded out of me. I weeped so much at once I could barely breath well. It only took more bawling to get my head to throb. I really wanted to stop crying because I hated not being able to breathe too well and the throbbing in my head, so I took in extra breaths to hopefully stop the sobs. The air remained stale as I did, though.

Both the strange and good thing about the crying was that I felt my pain drain out a little. The more I sobbed, the less air I needed to take in to breathe while I did it. I still felt a lot of pain, but was too tired to keep up with it. Suddenly realizing I was drenching Luesa's shirt with my tears, I gently shoved myself away from her to get some space while I finished one of my last sobs. Just when I wiped the last of my tears, Luesa put a hand on my right shoulder. Our eyes connected once more.

With a low frown, and a sympathetic look, Luesa finally said something. "That's all I needed to hear. Now to tell your father about-"

In a flash, fear and the thought of consequences of telling her the truth hit me all at once again. "N-No! You can't do that!" I slightly stuttered because of the fear consuming me.

I wish I can take back what I said now! Why doesn't life have a redo button!

"He...he..." It took me a few moments to think about what I was going to say next. "He's just gonna leave tomorrow! He's never home longer than two days! I've only been lucky to have him over for four days ONCE! How are we..."

"I almost forgot to tell you." A smirk replaced Luesa's frown. "That stunt you did at dinner has gotten your father worried. He plans on staying for a while!"

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. It's hard for me to image my own father to show much of an affection for me, and it's even harder for me to image him staying longer, risking his work to pile up, just for me. "W-What? How...why would he...are you sure!?"

"Yep, your father dragged me into the library to talk in private about it not long after you left."

This is too good to be true! It can't be happening! Two miracles in one day is too much! Why would Father stay for me anyway? "Does Johnathon know or Veronica or..." I had to gulp to get myself to say the last part. "...Andrew?"

Luesa shook her head. "I don't think so. Grimoire probably has told one of them by now, though. By the way, is Andrew that punk that was squeezing your arm earlier?"

"Yes."

"What was up with him anyway?"

I could immediately feel my face burn. The least I want her to know about is what Andrew does to me. Even though I really want him to pay for what he done to me, I vowed a long time ago to never speak of his nightly visits. I already broke this vow with Joey because I didn't think we'd make it out alive. I don't want to Luesa to know about what he almost did to me earlier. I don't want her to know about about everything he's done to me. It would involve details, and I can't bear to explain it. Just the mere thought of it sends chills through my body.

"I...he just didn't want me to bother you." I'm such a liar, but can you blame me for avoiding to tell her the truth? Telling her the truth about Johnathon is bad enough, but telling her about Andrew bastardy mischief is just too much.

My eyes started to become heavy. Crying earlier must of made me drowsy quicker.

I'm really not in the mood to continue this. This is involving too much emotions. I want to save it for tomorrow.

"I'm really tired. Can we save this for tomorrow?" I begged.

Luesa didn't say a word for a short while. She's probably deciding between doing something about Johnathon right now or let me rest, then worry about it tomorrow. "Fine, but I'm NOT going to let this go. I can't tell your father right away either. At least not tomorrow."

My eyes widened at what she just said. It just seemed out of character for her. Is this really LUESA I'm talking to? "Why not?"

"I can't explain it. I just...it's another private matter you're not suppose to know about and..."

Now I'm angry! I'm want to know what's going on now! "What's going on?" I demanded, half tired, half angry. "You're keeping something from me?" A yawn escaped out of me quickly, only slightly helping me stay awake. My heavy eye lids started to close on my a little.

"I'll explain later. It's very complicated and I can get in a bad situlation just for giving you any hints. I promise I'll explain whenever I get the chance. Just as soon as I deal with Johnathon. You better get to bed. You got school tomorrow. I'll explain the rest of my plan to get you out of Johnathon's grip tomorrow. Just go along with it for now. And remember, your father doesn't know we already know each other, so I need you to play along with me until we talk about it sometime tomorrow. Once everything cools down, I'll give you the truth."

I nodded, deciding to trust her. By the way Johnathon and Luesa been reacting towards me lately, I already know too much anyway. Besides, I'm too tired to deal with all this. I climbed off the bed and to my feet, then started to head for the door. Just when I reached for the knob, it hit me. Andrew could be waiting for me in my room. I once again trembled at the thought. I glanced over my shoulder to find that Luesa still hadn't moved from her spot.

"Is something bothering you?" Luesa asked, worried.

I made a deep gulp. I didn't want to tell her about Andrew, but I can't think of a good lie. I just decided to settle with the following. "I...don't want to...can I...sleep with you tonight?"

I feel pathetic asking to stay with her, but it's better than having Andrew torture me.

"Is there anything I need to know about?" Luesa's expression remained the same, but her tone slightly got more demanding.

"I...you see..." I knew asking her was a bad idea. "Please do I have to...I mean..." I never finished. Instead, I decided to let Luesa cut in.

"Johnathon or Andrew?"

"Huh, what?" Oh no, does she know about Andrew...

"Which one is scaring you right now?"

"I..." My eyes sunk to the floor. How am I going to explain it to her without giving her even the smallest hint of the truth?

"It's okay," Luesa assured. "You don't have to tell me if you don't wanna. You told me enough for tonight."

I was actually shocked with her understanding. Normally adults would keep asking questions over and over until the teenager breaks down, despite him or her not wanting to talk about something. Luesa is different and I'm very delighted about it. So much relief and joy hit me at once, I wanted to hug her, but that would be kind of weird. "T-thank you."

"Don't worry about it. I shouldn't be keeping you up so late anyway." A smile appeared on her face as she said this. "It's a good thing this bed is king sized. There should be room for you to sleep on one side."

Now I can go to bed feeling safe. Now, Luesa knows about the abuse. I should be very worried about it, but I'm just...too tired to care right now.

**Please review. It would be nice for my inspiration in case it gets messed up again, and lately I haven't been getting as many reviews as I normally would. I'm still thankful for the people who still reviewed, but some more support would help. I plan on updating as soon as I can, but I can't make a deadline yet. I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter.**

**Important note about Luesa:**** One, what's going on to make Luesa not be able to confront Grimoire about Vincent right away will be explained later. Two, I know it may seem weird for Luesa to be so calm after getting Vincent to finally admit his abuse. She's already known about it for quite a while, though! She just couldn't do anything too forceful because she needed more evidence. I figured since this fanfics takes place many years before FFVII, child abuse wouldn't be taken as seriously as it probably is in the present time of the game. **

**You know what the scary thing is? When I originally started writing this chapter, Vincent wasn't suppose to tell Luesa about his abuse yet. I was going to wait for another number of chapters. I don't know how I winded up letting her know so soon.**


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